What a crazy busy few months! I don't think I have posted anything since Thanksgiving, but we have just been so busy here lately that I can't find the time! Adrianna has changed so much in a few short months it is almost unbelieveable. She has grown in height, she is about 30 inches (will know exact stats at her 18 month checkup) tall which puts her at around 15th percentile, she weighs roughly 20 lbs....maybe just shy of 20....which puts her around 10th percentile and her head circumference is at the 55th percentile (forgot actual measurements). She is such a toddler now as well! She has a word bank of over 25 that she can say without repeating what I say first which I am so proud of. I read to her every day and talk to her constantly in hopes that she doesn't fall behind in speech development.....I still worry that she is a little behind but I know I just need to give it time. She makes us laugh all the time! Newest funny thing, she cooks for me! In her play kitchen she will pretend cook and shove the spoon in my face for me to eat it. She yells at me and says "no!" when I don't eat it. Not an accurate representation of how I feed her....not even close lol! Makes me wonder if that is how she feels though....hmmm. It does crack me up every time though. Another funny thing, she LOVES the song "red solo cup." She will get up and just dance like crazy....hilarious!
Besides being busy with holidays, we have been busy battling Adrianna's sicknesses. She has had a few viruses and has gotten some pretty bad fevers from them. She also had another ear infection, which meant it was time for her to see an ENT. Her pediatrician says they will likely put tubes in her ear, which is a little scary. She has been trying to cut a few teeth in the last few months, we counted 6 total yesterday. Those include 2 molars. I am a believer that cutting molars causes ear infections, but I know that she is more prone to them especially if she has a runny nose.
Her eating habits are typical of a toddler now. She is a big breakfast eater then she grazes throughout the day. I always try to offer as complete a meal as I can for breakfast, lunch and dinner and I sit with her for each of those meals but it is almost guaranteed that she will eat all her breakfast, barely touch lunch (unless I make Chef Boyardee....sigh) and unless it is pasta will barely touch dinner. On a good day she does eat at every one of these meals but she has more "bad" days than good. I know this is typical for the age but I still worry about her weight. We give her pediasure in order to add extra calories in her diet which seems to help somewhat. I don't stress over it anymore. She is healthy and growing at her own pace and that makes me happy. I still can't believe she is 18 months! This is seriously the most fun age! Although we do miss her infant days.....some of us are even crazy enough to think we can do this again!.....the thought does cross my mind. Do we enjoy her as an only child for a little while longer or just go ahead and have another? That is the question, and I don't have a clear answer yet. Maybe when she's 2....
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Thankful
It takes a day like Thanksgiving, or the days leading up to it, for me to realize what I have to be thankful for. I tend to just live my days and not stop and think about what I have and what others may not have. I really would like to change that. I tend to complain about silly things, things that in retrospect are not what really matters in life. I will say this, from today forward before I complain about ANYTHING I will stop and think about those that do without, those that wish they had even a sliver of the blessings my family and I enjoy day to day. Here is my list of 24 things I am thankful for in my life:
25. Health- My own health as well as the health of my husband, daughter and other loved ones. After my mother underwent massive brain surgery almost 2 years ago I will never stop thanking God for keeping her safe and with us for what I hope is many more years to come. I still believe Adrianna was born in order to help my mother recover faster.
24. The Air Force- And all that comes with it. Without the Air Force Joe and I wouldn't have the strong relationship we have now....I'm sure we would eventually but not at such a young age. We experienced a lot with being a military family and it has made us both stronger as individuals and as a couple. The Air Force taught us how to be smart with the perks we receive and how to make the best with what is thrown at us. My husband, therefore, has a job that he loves and is so proud to do which makes Adrianna and I so incredibly proud of him!
23. Our Families- Without whom we would be lost. I love that both my family and Joe's family would be willing to drop everything in order to help us with anything. I love the Hernandez side of my family, although I hardly get to see most of them. I love the Mendez side of my family, because of family arguments I was not given the chance to connect with my cousins which makes me sad. I hope we can someday change that. I love the Dolce/Cardone side of my family, all of you made Joe who he was when I met him and who he is today. He is an incredible, caring, strong and frugal (for lack of a better word LOL) man and I love you all for that. All of these people affect me on a daily basis and I am who I am because of these relationships.
22. My Brothers- Sometimes I complain that I wish I had a sister. I wonder why sometimes....we probably wouldn't get along. I get along very well with my brothers. I am the oldest of 3 and am five years older than my youngest brother, two years older than my second youngest brother. As kids we spent a lot of time together playing, watching cartoons and just goofing around. Dan and Dave are best friends, they have such a connection to each other.....I never had that with either of them until we grew up. I can say now that, although I still want to work on our relationship, I have a very good relationship with Dan. We have had a few bumps in the road but I love him and just want him to succeed. I love his wife as well, we don't talk very often but I still love her for loving my brother. Dave and I have a wonderful relationship, I love him so much and have enjoyed seeing him grow into the man he is today. He looks up to my life and has often said he wants what Joe and I have. He knows how much we have worked to get here and it makes him strive for the same common goal. I love my brother-in-laws too. They accept me for who I am and we have the best times together.
21. College- I am so grateful I was able to go to college. My parents could not afford to put me through college but they did the best they could. I had to take out student loans but thankfully it is not nearly as much as the average student has. My education is something that I will always have no matter what happens. Maybe someday I will actually get to use my degree! Ha!
20. Fertility- I hate to hear when friends of mine have issues with conceiving. I often wonder what my life would be life if I were one of the percentage of women that just couldn't have a baby. My aunt can't have children and for years I saw the pain in her eyes as she spoke about it. She doesn't speak about it very much at all. She is the most nurturing person I know and I remember as a child I loved to spend time with her. She was meant to be a mother in a different sense. I am so very thankful that I am able to experience pregnancy, no matter how tough some of it may be.
19. Friends- Joe and I collectively have a handful of friends. Some from childhood and some mutual friends we share from our military adventures. We love each and every single one of them. I am so grateful that I can get together with my friends back home or from our military adventures and I know, no matter how long it has been since we have spoken, it will be as if we have never been apart.Those are true friends.
18. My Husband- He is just the most amazing person I know. I love him so very much, I could go on and on about him. He is the best father to our daughter and the best person for me, period.
17. My Car- Seems silly but my Dodge Caravan is my saving grace. The doors open automatically, Adrianna loves watching movies while we drive around, and the amount of room is amazing. I never thought I would love a minivan but I really do. I am thankful we were able to afford yet another car....this time this is the right car for me and for our family
16. Lazy Pajama Days- Those are the few days that I tell myself I will not run an errand, or even step foot out of the house. Those are the best days and some of the best times I have spent with Adrianna. No distractions. Just fun.
15. Being a SAHM- I have complained about being bored and having no one to talk to but really those seem almost irrelevant when you compare them to the massive benefits of being a SAHM. Sure the housework is always calling my name and I live in my PJs with hair undone when I'm home but being able to spend every day with Adrianna is just priceless. And not to mention you appreciate the free time you have to enjoy a glass of wine or 4 with friends a lot more I think :)
14. Financial Stability- Not everyone has this, most are striving for this. We are NOT rich by any means but Joe is very good with money and we always make it a point to put something away in savings. We enjoy life but live within our means. It is a delicate dance, I am no good at it....I can spend like there is no tomorrow. But nonetheless, we put food on the table every day and have a bed to sleep in with a roof over our heads. We don't struggle for much, sure I can't own every Coach bag I want or have a Mercedes but really none of those things matter when you are faced with a financial struggle. We hope to never be faced with such a thing but ya never know. We are very grateful for what we are able to provide for Adrianna.
13. Patience- With a 16 month old plus all the household stuff and running around like a headless chicken patience is something I am grateful I have. Those times where you go to the grocery store, realize the baby pooped and forgot to pack wipes, buy wipes and change an almost blowout, shop and pay then forget you dont have cash for the person helping you with your bags (commissary, one of the things I find most annoying about it), run back to the store and buy a pack of gum just to get cash back, starts pouring rain as you make a mad dash to the car then when you get home you realize she took her shoe off and must have dropped it in the store so you have to run back to get it....true story, happened to me yesterday. Patience was running thin but I made it through....might have shed a few tears here and there however.
12. Health Insurance- I have a love/hate relationship with Tricare....but I am very grateful to have health care coverage for me and for Adrianna.
11. Coffee- It gets me through the mornings, I am not a morning person
10. Pictures- I have an awesome camera and I get to capture the moments I will treasure forever with it. It is almost therapeutic for me to capture those moments full of emotion all while remaining unnoticed.
9. Deep Belly Baby Laughs- When you are the cause of that laughter, there is nothing better in the world than that feeling.
8. Quiet Moments with Joe- Far and few between lately, I am grateful that he gets to come home and eat dinner with us and then after the baby is in bed we get to sit and watch our shows and just hang out....unwind.
7. Joe's Support- He has always supported me in every decision I have made. He gives me great advice and pushes me to succeed. I didn't think I would be able to be a SAHM...I didn't think I would be good at all the domestic stuff, cooking or cleaning or organizing all while taking care of a baby. He never doubted me. I'd say I'm pretty good at what I do.
6. A Good Book- I can get lost in a good book. I get sucked into the story, it is a good stress reliever for sure.
5. The Little Gym- Adrianna was about 6 months old when I first started taking her to Little Gym classes. She was a little behind on her milestones....after just 2 classes Adrianna just blossomed and took off! She learned so much in a few short weeks, I really think Adrianna has not fallen behind on any milestones because of Little Gym. She was pulling up on furniture shortly after starting the classes, balancing on her own two feet at around 10 months and walking on her own at 13 months. Pretty good considering her doctor told me she would likely be behind on most milestones.
4. Google- Although it scared me half the time, google really did help me sort through some questions I had about Adrianna. Just little things I was curious about, it just helped to see that I wasn't alone in some of the issues I was going through with Adrianna and her eating/growth.
3. Blogging- This blog is my life scrapbook. I hope to look back on this years later and "remember when"....Maybe my children will read this someday. Maybe I'll print this out for Adrianna someday and give it to her....I think she will love to read about what I went through and learned while raising her.
2. Mom Friends- Probably the only ones that truly understand what I go through are my other SAHM friends. I don't have many yet, but I appreciate the ones I have. They understand the need for socializing, the feeling you get when you can't get your baby to stop crying, the way our husbands sometimes don't understand just how hard it is, and the satisfaction of it allllll!
1. Most of all, I am thankful that I am Adrianna's mommy. She is everything I want to be. It sounds strange but I see things in her personality that I kind of wish I had. She is so outgoing, not shy, not afraid to voice her opinion and just looks at everything with such wonder and curiosity. She smiles at everything and everyone, she just loves life! I'm sure all babies act this way, but I want to believe that these are personality traits she has. She has a little bit of my attitude and a little bit of Joe's joyfulness. I am just so lucky. I remember spending hours daydreaming about what she would look like, she surpassed my expectations. I never thought she would be so perfect....but she is.
On this Thanksgiving, as I go crazy in the kitchen making and baking I will stop and think about my list. I will look around at Joe's family (I am hosting my first Thanksgiving!) and just be thankful for the moments we all get to spend together. I will miss my parents and my brothers this Thanksgiving, but I will be grateful that they are there....maybe I should have added Skype to the list of things I am thankful for because without Skype they wouldn't have the opportunity to see us when they just can't make it to our home. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
25. Health- My own health as well as the health of my husband, daughter and other loved ones. After my mother underwent massive brain surgery almost 2 years ago I will never stop thanking God for keeping her safe and with us for what I hope is many more years to come. I still believe Adrianna was born in order to help my mother recover faster.
24. The Air Force- And all that comes with it. Without the Air Force Joe and I wouldn't have the strong relationship we have now....I'm sure we would eventually but not at such a young age. We experienced a lot with being a military family and it has made us both stronger as individuals and as a couple. The Air Force taught us how to be smart with the perks we receive and how to make the best with what is thrown at us. My husband, therefore, has a job that he loves and is so proud to do which makes Adrianna and I so incredibly proud of him!
23. Our Families- Without whom we would be lost. I love that both my family and Joe's family would be willing to drop everything in order to help us with anything. I love the Hernandez side of my family, although I hardly get to see most of them. I love the Mendez side of my family, because of family arguments I was not given the chance to connect with my cousins which makes me sad. I hope we can someday change that. I love the Dolce/Cardone side of my family, all of you made Joe who he was when I met him and who he is today. He is an incredible, caring, strong and frugal (for lack of a better word LOL) man and I love you all for that. All of these people affect me on a daily basis and I am who I am because of these relationships.
22. My Brothers- Sometimes I complain that I wish I had a sister. I wonder why sometimes....we probably wouldn't get along. I get along very well with my brothers. I am the oldest of 3 and am five years older than my youngest brother, two years older than my second youngest brother. As kids we spent a lot of time together playing, watching cartoons and just goofing around. Dan and Dave are best friends, they have such a connection to each other.....I never had that with either of them until we grew up. I can say now that, although I still want to work on our relationship, I have a very good relationship with Dan. We have had a few bumps in the road but I love him and just want him to succeed. I love his wife as well, we don't talk very often but I still love her for loving my brother. Dave and I have a wonderful relationship, I love him so much and have enjoyed seeing him grow into the man he is today. He looks up to my life and has often said he wants what Joe and I have. He knows how much we have worked to get here and it makes him strive for the same common goal. I love my brother-in-laws too. They accept me for who I am and we have the best times together.
21. College- I am so grateful I was able to go to college. My parents could not afford to put me through college but they did the best they could. I had to take out student loans but thankfully it is not nearly as much as the average student has. My education is something that I will always have no matter what happens. Maybe someday I will actually get to use my degree! Ha!
20. Fertility- I hate to hear when friends of mine have issues with conceiving. I often wonder what my life would be life if I were one of the percentage of women that just couldn't have a baby. My aunt can't have children and for years I saw the pain in her eyes as she spoke about it. She doesn't speak about it very much at all. She is the most nurturing person I know and I remember as a child I loved to spend time with her. She was meant to be a mother in a different sense. I am so very thankful that I am able to experience pregnancy, no matter how tough some of it may be.
19. Friends- Joe and I collectively have a handful of friends. Some from childhood and some mutual friends we share from our military adventures. We love each and every single one of them. I am so grateful that I can get together with my friends back home or from our military adventures and I know, no matter how long it has been since we have spoken, it will be as if we have never been apart.Those are true friends.
18. My Husband- He is just the most amazing person I know. I love him so very much, I could go on and on about him. He is the best father to our daughter and the best person for me, period.
17. My Car- Seems silly but my Dodge Caravan is my saving grace. The doors open automatically, Adrianna loves watching movies while we drive around, and the amount of room is amazing. I never thought I would love a minivan but I really do. I am thankful we were able to afford yet another car....this time this is the right car for me and for our family
16. Lazy Pajama Days- Those are the few days that I tell myself I will not run an errand, or even step foot out of the house. Those are the best days and some of the best times I have spent with Adrianna. No distractions. Just fun.
15. Being a SAHM- I have complained about being bored and having no one to talk to but really those seem almost irrelevant when you compare them to the massive benefits of being a SAHM. Sure the housework is always calling my name and I live in my PJs with hair undone when I'm home but being able to spend every day with Adrianna is just priceless. And not to mention you appreciate the free time you have to enjoy a glass of wine or 4 with friends a lot more I think :)
14. Financial Stability- Not everyone has this, most are striving for this. We are NOT rich by any means but Joe is very good with money and we always make it a point to put something away in savings. We enjoy life but live within our means. It is a delicate dance, I am no good at it....I can spend like there is no tomorrow. But nonetheless, we put food on the table every day and have a bed to sleep in with a roof over our heads. We don't struggle for much, sure I can't own every Coach bag I want or have a Mercedes but really none of those things matter when you are faced with a financial struggle. We hope to never be faced with such a thing but ya never know. We are very grateful for what we are able to provide for Adrianna.
13. Patience- With a 16 month old plus all the household stuff and running around like a headless chicken patience is something I am grateful I have. Those times where you go to the grocery store, realize the baby pooped and forgot to pack wipes, buy wipes and change an almost blowout, shop and pay then forget you dont have cash for the person helping you with your bags (commissary, one of the things I find most annoying about it), run back to the store and buy a pack of gum just to get cash back, starts pouring rain as you make a mad dash to the car then when you get home you realize she took her shoe off and must have dropped it in the store so you have to run back to get it....true story, happened to me yesterday. Patience was running thin but I made it through....might have shed a few tears here and there however.
12. Health Insurance- I have a love/hate relationship with Tricare....but I am very grateful to have health care coverage for me and for Adrianna.
11. Coffee- It gets me through the mornings, I am not a morning person
10. Pictures- I have an awesome camera and I get to capture the moments I will treasure forever with it. It is almost therapeutic for me to capture those moments full of emotion all while remaining unnoticed.
9. Deep Belly Baby Laughs- When you are the cause of that laughter, there is nothing better in the world than that feeling.
8. Quiet Moments with Joe- Far and few between lately, I am grateful that he gets to come home and eat dinner with us and then after the baby is in bed we get to sit and watch our shows and just hang out....unwind.
7. Joe's Support- He has always supported me in every decision I have made. He gives me great advice and pushes me to succeed. I didn't think I would be able to be a SAHM...I didn't think I would be good at all the domestic stuff, cooking or cleaning or organizing all while taking care of a baby. He never doubted me. I'd say I'm pretty good at what I do.
6. A Good Book- I can get lost in a good book. I get sucked into the story, it is a good stress reliever for sure.
5. The Little Gym- Adrianna was about 6 months old when I first started taking her to Little Gym classes. She was a little behind on her milestones....after just 2 classes Adrianna just blossomed and took off! She learned so much in a few short weeks, I really think Adrianna has not fallen behind on any milestones because of Little Gym. She was pulling up on furniture shortly after starting the classes, balancing on her own two feet at around 10 months and walking on her own at 13 months. Pretty good considering her doctor told me she would likely be behind on most milestones.
4. Google- Although it scared me half the time, google really did help me sort through some questions I had about Adrianna. Just little things I was curious about, it just helped to see that I wasn't alone in some of the issues I was going through with Adrianna and her eating/growth.
3. Blogging- This blog is my life scrapbook. I hope to look back on this years later and "remember when"....Maybe my children will read this someday. Maybe I'll print this out for Adrianna someday and give it to her....I think she will love to read about what I went through and learned while raising her.
2. Mom Friends- Probably the only ones that truly understand what I go through are my other SAHM friends. I don't have many yet, but I appreciate the ones I have. They understand the need for socializing, the feeling you get when you can't get your baby to stop crying, the way our husbands sometimes don't understand just how hard it is, and the satisfaction of it allllll!
1. Most of all, I am thankful that I am Adrianna's mommy. She is everything I want to be. It sounds strange but I see things in her personality that I kind of wish I had. She is so outgoing, not shy, not afraid to voice her opinion and just looks at everything with such wonder and curiosity. She smiles at everything and everyone, she just loves life! I'm sure all babies act this way, but I want to believe that these are personality traits she has. She has a little bit of my attitude and a little bit of Joe's joyfulness. I am just so lucky. I remember spending hours daydreaming about what she would look like, she surpassed my expectations. I never thought she would be so perfect....but she is.
On this Thanksgiving, as I go crazy in the kitchen making and baking I will stop and think about my list. I will look around at Joe's family (I am hosting my first Thanksgiving!) and just be thankful for the moments we all get to spend together. I will miss my parents and my brothers this Thanksgiving, but I will be grateful that they are there....maybe I should have added Skype to the list of things I am thankful for because without Skype they wouldn't have the opportunity to see us when they just can't make it to our home. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
16 months..
16 months ago, I was in a hospital holding the most precious gift god had given me. Strapped up to all sorts of wires and monitors was my very perfect, very little Adrianna Teresa. It has been a whirlwind since and time has just flown by. Adrianna is a very intelligent little toddler. Her most recent amazing skill is knowing when my cellphone is "locked" and handing it to me to unlock. She will throw a fit until I slide the little button to the unlock position. I have an iphone, she learned how to unlock my phone all by herself this morning and made a few phone calls while at it. She never ceases to amaze me :) She is still around the 3rd percentile for her weight, she is 19 lbs 4 oz. She doesn't eat very much and lately wont eat even her favorite foods. It has been a little hard on me to say the least. Every time we come home from the doctors office I feel defeated, like a failure, and the most unfit mother to my little girl. I know I am none of those things but I cannot help but feel that way when everything I try with Adrianna to make her gain weight does not work. We go for another weight check on November 18th so I am hoping she has made some progress otherwise the recommendation is to get her evaluated by a GI doctor for Celiacs, reflux and anything else they might test for. I am hoping there aren't going to be any major dietary changes for her.
I feel like all of my blog posts are about Adrianna. I named my blog "Diapers and a Dream" maybe I should start talking more about what my "dreams" are. I have recently started a battle within myself as to whether or not I am ready to go back to work. Some days I feel so ready and others I can't imagine leaving Adrianna in a day care. I know working would be nice....the extra money could come in handy and socialization for me is also a plus. A few weeks ago I filled out a few applications for some administrative assistant positions and within 24 hours I got calls for interviews. I was shock, overwhelmed and a bit teary eyed. I figured it would be a few weeks before I got any calls which would give me time to prepare and to get used to the working idea. Needless to say, I couldn't bring myself to go through with the interviews. I was so caught up in guilt. I know Adriana would do fine in day care, I don't have a fear of leaving her there. What I was worried about was not being there for her on a daily basis. It hurts my heart to know that I might be missing out on the rest of her milestones. Also if we had a second child, I wouldn't leave my job which would mean I wouldn't be able to enjoy the first year like I enjoyed Adrianna's. I am debating the working situation and hopefully will come up with a reasonable solution. Truth is, I really feel like I am great at home and with Adrianna but I also feel like I should be working at least part time and helping add more income to our savings. Another thing I have been toying with for a while is going back to school. Before I had Adrianna I wanted to go back to school for a master's in counseling psychology. I had known I wanted to counsel ever since I was in middle school. I can't explain how I got the notion that I would be good at this but I did. Of course, when Adrianna was born I suddenly lost interest in everything else except for being the best mom I could be to my little girl. I don't know if anyone else has experienced this feeling, but being a stay at home mom I almost felt like I lost a sense of who I was. My identity was now the provider of food and diaper changes....it was a little depressing at times. I loved being a mom, don't get me wrong, but it was a very difficult thing adjusting to my new role as a stay at home mom rather than having a routine of going to work everyday out of the home and bringing home a paycheck. I embraced my new role and made the best of it. I can safely say I have grown into a more well rounded person, babies will certainly humble you. I taught myself to be a better cook, learned to have schedules for everything, and best of all I actually had time to decorate my house and make it a home. It has been a blessing to be home with my baby girl for sure. I can't help but wonder if I am just way too adjusted now and am looking to take the next step....whether that step will be go back to work or have another baby I don't know....
Here is my Adrianna at 16 months old<3
I feel like all of my blog posts are about Adrianna. I named my blog "Diapers and a Dream" maybe I should start talking more about what my "dreams" are. I have recently started a battle within myself as to whether or not I am ready to go back to work. Some days I feel so ready and others I can't imagine leaving Adrianna in a day care. I know working would be nice....the extra money could come in handy and socialization for me is also a plus. A few weeks ago I filled out a few applications for some administrative assistant positions and within 24 hours I got calls for interviews. I was shock, overwhelmed and a bit teary eyed. I figured it would be a few weeks before I got any calls which would give me time to prepare and to get used to the working idea. Needless to say, I couldn't bring myself to go through with the interviews. I was so caught up in guilt. I know Adriana would do fine in day care, I don't have a fear of leaving her there. What I was worried about was not being there for her on a daily basis. It hurts my heart to know that I might be missing out on the rest of her milestones. Also if we had a second child, I wouldn't leave my job which would mean I wouldn't be able to enjoy the first year like I enjoyed Adrianna's. I am debating the working situation and hopefully will come up with a reasonable solution. Truth is, I really feel like I am great at home and with Adrianna but I also feel like I should be working at least part time and helping add more income to our savings. Another thing I have been toying with for a while is going back to school. Before I had Adrianna I wanted to go back to school for a master's in counseling psychology. I had known I wanted to counsel ever since I was in middle school. I can't explain how I got the notion that I would be good at this but I did. Of course, when Adrianna was born I suddenly lost interest in everything else except for being the best mom I could be to my little girl. I don't know if anyone else has experienced this feeling, but being a stay at home mom I almost felt like I lost a sense of who I was. My identity was now the provider of food and diaper changes....it was a little depressing at times. I loved being a mom, don't get me wrong, but it was a very difficult thing adjusting to my new role as a stay at home mom rather than having a routine of going to work everyday out of the home and bringing home a paycheck. I embraced my new role and made the best of it. I can safely say I have grown into a more well rounded person, babies will certainly humble you. I taught myself to be a better cook, learned to have schedules for everything, and best of all I actually had time to decorate my house and make it a home. It has been a blessing to be home with my baby girl for sure. I can't help but wonder if I am just way too adjusted now and am looking to take the next step....whether that step will be go back to work or have another baby I don't know....
Here is my Adrianna at 16 months old<3
Monday, October 24, 2011
Busy bee!
I feel like I have been slacking on my blogging. It really isn't my fault at all, we have been so busy lately. Well first we went to NY for my mom's birthday a few weekends ago and got to spend some quality time. It had been about a month since we had seen my parents so it was nice for all of us to be together and for Adrianna to give lots of hugs and kisses and show off all of her new skills she has learned. That same weekend we headed to the Bronx to celebrate Joe's grandfather's 81st birthday! A bunch of his family got together at a local restaurant and we were able to see some we hardly ever get to see. It is so fun to show Adrianna off to loved ones :) Joe's brother and his wife also flew in from FL for the birthday party and they had some pretty exciting news....they are expecting their first baby in April! We are so excited for them, they will make fabulous parents and that precious little baby is going to be so darn cute! Adrianna loves other children so it is very exciting that she will soon have someone to play with at family functions, they will be just about 2 years apart. Plus I get to be an aunt, which is a very fun realization for me. I can't wait to buy cute baby things.....they are going to wait to find out the sex of the baby and there is nothing I love more than surprises!
I would normally have tons of pictures of that very fun-filled weekend but oddly enough, I was suffering with pretty severe back pains. I am not sure how I injured my back but it was so painful that I ended up in the ER. Two back injections and some muscle relaxers later I am now about 85% better than I was about 2 weeks ago. I start physical therapy tomorrow for a possible herniated disc/pinched nerve injury. I really hope this helps me feel better because I really don't want to have an MRI or any other medical procedures. Back problems are not easy to cure and the thought of having back surgery scares the living s*%^ outta me! Here's hoping everything turns out ok. Somewhere in between all of that activity, we thought it would be a brilliant idea to move into a different house on base because it offered a different layout and fenced in backyard for our dogs. We couldn't have picked worse timing, with my back being out I was pretty useless in any of the moving which made everything a little more stressful and a little less organized. we did it though, thanks to Joe's wonderful parents. They really seem to get us out of some pretty sticky situations sometimes and we are just so grateful for them. Now that I am feeling better I get to redecorate and have fun with all of the unpacking....which I hate doing ha! At least we were able to get rid of a lot of junk we had piling up around our house so hopefully when we HAVE to move next it wont be as cluttered, which I doubt.
Adrianna turned 15 months as well a few weeks ago and it really is just heart warming to see all of the new things she is learning. She can point to and name several things around the house, her favorite is grabbing anything; remotes, teddy bears, and sometimes and actual ball and throwing it while screaming "BALL" at the top of her lungs. She is such an amazing little person. She says "night night" and lays down on the floor and then pops her head up and starts laughing because I pretend to get scared....she loves it. by far the funniest and cutest thing she does now is talk on the phone in her own baby babble. It is so cute! So now whenever the phone rings she is trying to pry it away from my ear so she can talk too. Hubby mentioned yesterday that he almost started crying because while he was playing with her in the backyard it hit him that he can actually PLAY with her in the backyard.....she runs after him and the dogs and just loves to crunch leaves beneath her feet. Such a fun age. She is going to be a bumble bee for Halloween, and so am I! I can't wait to take her trick'er treating, we have been practicing buzzing like a bee...."bee" ready for some cute pics and videos! :)
In the mean time, check her out talking to her uncle Kev and enjoy a few recent pics.
I would normally have tons of pictures of that very fun-filled weekend but oddly enough, I was suffering with pretty severe back pains. I am not sure how I injured my back but it was so painful that I ended up in the ER. Two back injections and some muscle relaxers later I am now about 85% better than I was about 2 weeks ago. I start physical therapy tomorrow for a possible herniated disc/pinched nerve injury. I really hope this helps me feel better because I really don't want to have an MRI or any other medical procedures. Back problems are not easy to cure and the thought of having back surgery scares the living s*%^ outta me! Here's hoping everything turns out ok. Somewhere in between all of that activity, we thought it would be a brilliant idea to move into a different house on base because it offered a different layout and fenced in backyard for our dogs. We couldn't have picked worse timing, with my back being out I was pretty useless in any of the moving which made everything a little more stressful and a little less organized. we did it though, thanks to Joe's wonderful parents. They really seem to get us out of some pretty sticky situations sometimes and we are just so grateful for them. Now that I am feeling better I get to redecorate and have fun with all of the unpacking....which I hate doing ha! At least we were able to get rid of a lot of junk we had piling up around our house so hopefully when we HAVE to move next it wont be as cluttered, which I doubt.
Adrianna turned 15 months as well a few weeks ago and it really is just heart warming to see all of the new things she is learning. She can point to and name several things around the house, her favorite is grabbing anything; remotes, teddy bears, and sometimes and actual ball and throwing it while screaming "BALL" at the top of her lungs. She is such an amazing little person. She says "night night" and lays down on the floor and then pops her head up and starts laughing because I pretend to get scared....she loves it. by far the funniest and cutest thing she does now is talk on the phone in her own baby babble. It is so cute! So now whenever the phone rings she is trying to pry it away from my ear so she can talk too. Hubby mentioned yesterday that he almost started crying because while he was playing with her in the backyard it hit him that he can actually PLAY with her in the backyard.....she runs after him and the dogs and just loves to crunch leaves beneath her feet. Such a fun age. She is going to be a bumble bee for Halloween, and so am I! I can't wait to take her trick'er treating, we have been practicing buzzing like a bee...."bee" ready for some cute pics and videos! :)
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| She loves watching the squirrels |
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| "No No" screaming to the squirrels |
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| She kept saying "bye bye" because she wanted to go outside |
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| Is it too early for winter PJs? |
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| Taking a phone call |
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
My favorite time of year
It is finally fall in New England! I love this time of year, the pumpkin and apple picking, crisp fall nights, hoodie whether, leaves changing and MY BIRTHDAY! I'm hoping to make it a good one this year, since next year there may possibly be an addition to our growing family.....and no I am not pregnant yet. I plan on having a few drinks with some good friends and just enjoying the beginning of my 26th year. I have plenty to be thankful for. Sometimes I can hardly believe that this time last year I was cuddling with a 3 month old baby wondering if I would ever GET how to be a mom, at least a good one. I had so many questions, so many anxieties, and I was very self conscious of my mothering style. I can say now that, although I still have lots to learn, that I am so comfortable where I am as far as mothering my wonderful baby girl stands. I feel like I have her nap schedule down, her eating finally figured out, and I understand her moods; good and bad. She goes to the doctor next week for her 15 MONTH CHECKUP! 15 months....still sounds very strange to say that. I have been following other blogs where they will post a list of the new things and changes their babies have gone through every month like their height, weight, favorite food, nap schedule, favorite book, favorite song etc so I will post something similar next week.
Adrianna started up her Little Gym classes again in the beginning of September and she is so independent! She loves to sing the welcome and goodbye song with the bells and loves the bubbles. Apparently she does really well on the high bar and low beams....she has very good balance and upper body strength. She hangs on the high bar like a monkey! Which is funny because that is her signature "animal." She has monkeys in her nursery decorations, clothing (carters has the cutest monkey line) and even hair clips. It suits her, although I have gotten rude remarks about why I call her a monkey (some people just need to relax with their opinions)! Little Gym is really teaching her how to play with other children well and how to feel comfortable playing away from me, away from her comfort zone. She goes off and explores all of the equipment and doesn't even look back to see if I am behind her. She has even learned sign language! I have been working with her on using sign language to be able to communicate what she wants instead of getting frustrated. She can sign gym, all done, more, please, thank you, and milk. All very important in her life right now :) I am just so proud of how much she is learning and how quickly she can pick things up. Today she was watching Little Einsteins and was copying all of the movements like patting her knees when they do and saying blast off (well she just screams but I'm sure she thinks she is saying it) and it is so cute. Her newest love, Fresh Beat Band. She dances to their songs and tries to sing. It is so cute! Maybe she will be a gymnast and/or singer when she grows up :) No rush!
Here are some recent pics of Adrianna:
Adrianna started up her Little Gym classes again in the beginning of September and she is so independent! She loves to sing the welcome and goodbye song with the bells and loves the bubbles. Apparently she does really well on the high bar and low beams....she has very good balance and upper body strength. She hangs on the high bar like a monkey! Which is funny because that is her signature "animal." She has monkeys in her nursery decorations, clothing (carters has the cutest monkey line) and even hair clips. It suits her, although I have gotten rude remarks about why I call her a monkey (some people just need to relax with their opinions)! Little Gym is really teaching her how to play with other children well and how to feel comfortable playing away from me, away from her comfort zone. She goes off and explores all of the equipment and doesn't even look back to see if I am behind her. She has even learned sign language! I have been working with her on using sign language to be able to communicate what she wants instead of getting frustrated. She can sign gym, all done, more, please, thank you, and milk. All very important in her life right now :) I am just so proud of how much she is learning and how quickly she can pick things up. Today she was watching Little Einsteins and was copying all of the movements like patting her knees when they do and saying blast off (well she just screams but I'm sure she thinks she is saying it) and it is so cute. Her newest love, Fresh Beat Band. She dances to their songs and tries to sing. It is so cute! Maybe she will be a gymnast and/or singer when she grows up :) No rush!
Here are some recent pics of Adrianna:
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| Her princess wand |
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| Doing what she does best, PLAY |
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| Opening and closing the gate door |
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Self Soothing
Last weekend I went to a Hanscom Spouses Club meet and greet...yes I went. If you know me you know that is so not my thing. But I actually had a good time and meet some nice people! It is always nice to meet new people...and drink wine :) I met up with a friend first at her house where she was waiting on her sitter to arrive. I stopped and listened to her explain to the sitter everything about her son and heard her say "just put him down to sleep, don't rock him he will just put himself to sleep." Her son is 8 months old. This made me realize something, I have always rocked Adrianna to sleep before putting her in her crib. Every nap and every bedtime was the same. I would bring her upstairs, read her a story then rock her to sleep and slowly put her down then sneak out of her room. Lately she has been fighting me when I try to rock her and I just thought "wow she is really fighting her sleep today." It never even crossed my mind that MAYBE just MAYBE it may be time to start letting her self sooth to sleep. I should have done this months ago but for some reason I have been having a hard time letting go of the fact that Adrianna is not a baby anymore.
This same friend was mentioning to me that she sometimes lets her baby "cry it out." I have never even thought of doing that with Adrianna simply because I just always had a fear of her crying so hard she throws up...which she has done....but back when she had reflux as an infant! She is not a baby anymore. She is not so delicate anymore. I also noticed this same friend's video monitor and noticed that she couldn't even SEE her son sleeping in it. She mentioned that since lowering the crib she hasn't been able to actually see him but she mostly uses it just to see when he actually gets up and to hear his cry. I, on the other hand, still wake up once a night to stare at the monitor to make sure she's breathing or I walk into her room to check. I guess it's because of having to be so careful when she was first born. She was a 5 week preemie born at 4lbs 4oz so she was tiny! She never had issues breathing but the NICU nurse always made sure to drill it into my head that I needed to check on her and make sure she was always on her back because she could stop breathing especially because she was so little. I guess I forgot to stop STOP checking, Ha! Well I always kind of knew I should really stop being so scared of something bad happening...especially since my husband had been pointing out my obsession with the video monitor lately and been telling me to turn it off at night and I refused.
Listening to my friend talk about her 8 month old and how laid back she was with him made me stop and think. What was I planning, rocking Adrianna to sleep until she was 2 or 3 years old?! So a few days ago, Monday actually, I decided to read her a bedtime story, kiss her goodnight and put her down to let her cry it out. She cried for about a half hour....I know because I looked at the time, it really felt like 2 hours. She then laid herself down and fell fast asleep. She didn't even wake up in the middle of the night like she sometimes did! Tuesday I tried it again and she fell asleep in, I'm not kidding, 3 minutes! A little crying then she laid down and hugged her teddy and fell asleep. I guess I have been holding her back from being a big girl and I wasn't listening to her demand to let her be and do things on her own. So I have put away all bottles, let her feed herself, sometimes with a spoon if it's not too messy, and I must say I feel better about her being more independent! This crying it out thing was much easier than I thought it would be, I'm sure it wont be this easy with my future children....no way am I going to be blessed with such easy children! Well you never know, guess I'll just have to wait and see ;)
Friday, September 9, 2011
We are quite the travelers...
As I hear from many of my friends, we travel A LOT! I know but we can't help ourselves...we just love taking trips and experiencing new things with Adrianna! We have always been this way. We are not rich, trust me, we just plan trips ahead of time and shuffle our finances around accordingly. It also helps that we have a lot of Hilton Honors points and sky miles (thanks Joe!) so we take full advantage. Although, I think this time we bit off more than we could chew. It all began with Joe going to his SOS training (squadron officer school) in Montgomery, AL. I had to pack for us three to head down to my parent's house in NY then drop Adrianna off with them and take the drive with Joe to Alabama. We planned on taking 2 days to drive to Atlanta then I would fly back to NY, he would head of to his final destination, I would sleep at my parents one night then spend the rest of the 5 weeks he would be gone back at our home in MA. When I got back to NY I just decided it would be easier to spend a few weeks in NY then head back to MA for a week or so and then go back to NY where Adrianna and I would fly out to AL to meet up with Joe again and begin the drive back up to MA. I'm exhausted already just typing this and at the same time thinking "Are you crazy?! Woman relax with your child at home and take it easy." So anyway, I stayed with my parents. On my final week there, they were planning on heading to my aunt's 40th birthday party for the weekend in Miami. You think I would pass up a weekend in Miami....a FREE weekend in Miami? No. So off Adrianna and I went on an adventure. Connecting flights there and back. First a frantic drive back to MA to pack real quick for our extended trip to Miami and then 3 days after we return we were due to head out to AL to meet up with Joe. How do I even pack for that? I amaze myself sometimes because I was surprisingly organized and didn't forget anything! We had a blast with my family in Miami and were excited to reunite with Joe in AL but after so many plane trips in one week and the diaper bag, stroller, car seat, all of which I had to carry around, I am done with plane trips without Joe for a while. I don't want to see another plane for a long time in fact!
Best part about meeting up with Joe and making our way back north was our road trip adventure. In 6 days we drive to our old base in Warner Robins, GA to see some good friends, stopped in Myrtle Beach, SC for 2 nights then drove straight to right past Washington DC for the night and the next day made it to Joe's parent's country house in Livingston Manor, NY. It was stressful and tricky at times. We have a very picky eater so trying to figure out where to stop and eat according to what she will actually EAT was tough. We made it, unscathed. Apparently Adrianna loves chicken now and she even tried mild wings from Buffalo Wild Wings and loved the spiciness! Which doesn't surprise me, I couldn't get enough spicy food when I was pregnant with her. Except I was going for full on hot wings back then....I can't tolerate that now. Funny how your body changes with pregnancy. Our last adventure of the summer road trip took us to Yankee Stadium for Adrianna's first Yankees game (or is it Yankee game, I don't know I always drop the "s"). Of course that day was one of the hottest days for a while....upper 80s but it definitely felt like 90s. Adrianna was a trooper and she had so much fun! She was cheering the whole time, looking behind her because that is where all the people were and she loves attention! We had great seats too, 5 rows back from left field.
I remember telling Joe that I was a little bummed because we weren't going to do all the "summery" things I hoped to do with Adrianna because of his training. By the looks of things, we crammed our "summer" into two long, exhausting, but fun weeks. The memories we made I will never forget. And now we are back home in MA. We have a routine again, Adrianna learned how to fully walk here...no more crawling (hardly) which is a nice, anticipated achievement! But boy is it harder to entertain her. She is just such an adventurous, curious, intelligent little 14 month old. I can't wait to do fall'y' (autumn'y'? whatever) with her now and make more precious unforgettable memories. Here are some (LOTS!) of pictures from our trips:
Best part about meeting up with Joe and making our way back north was our road trip adventure. In 6 days we drive to our old base in Warner Robins, GA to see some good friends, stopped in Myrtle Beach, SC for 2 nights then drove straight to right past Washington DC for the night and the next day made it to Joe's parent's country house in Livingston Manor, NY. It was stressful and tricky at times. We have a very picky eater so trying to figure out where to stop and eat according to what she will actually EAT was tough. We made it, unscathed. Apparently Adrianna loves chicken now and she even tried mild wings from Buffalo Wild Wings and loved the spiciness! Which doesn't surprise me, I couldn't get enough spicy food when I was pregnant with her. Except I was going for full on hot wings back then....I can't tolerate that now. Funny how your body changes with pregnancy. Our last adventure of the summer road trip took us to Yankee Stadium for Adrianna's first Yankees game (or is it Yankee game, I don't know I always drop the "s"). Of course that day was one of the hottest days for a while....upper 80s but it definitely felt like 90s. Adrianna was a trooper and she had so much fun! She was cheering the whole time, looking behind her because that is where all the people were and she loves attention! We had great seats too, 5 rows back from left field.
I remember telling Joe that I was a little bummed because we weren't going to do all the "summery" things I hoped to do with Adrianna because of his training. By the looks of things, we crammed our "summer" into two long, exhausting, but fun weeks. The memories we made I will never forget. And now we are back home in MA. We have a routine again, Adrianna learned how to fully walk here...no more crawling (hardly) which is a nice, anticipated achievement! But boy is it harder to entertain her. She is just such an adventurous, curious, intelligent little 14 month old. I can't wait to do fall'y' (autumn'y'? whatever) with her now and make more precious unforgettable memories. Here are some (LOTS!) of pictures from our trips:
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| Waiting for our flight to Miami, she loved the planes |
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| With her Tia Wendy |
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| Park play date with her bff |
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| summer picnic |
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| Birthday twin Weslynn |
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| Her friend Eli |
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| Wearing a very appropriate "southern like" dress |
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| Name in the sand |
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| She loved the ocean |
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| A not so relaxing dinner experience |
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| She was not happy |
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| Stepping on a bug |
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| A hot day at Yankee stadium |
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| But we had a great time! |
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