One Blessed Mess

Oh hey, I'm being a horrible blogger again.

2012-03-04T15:23:00.004-06:00

We all knew this was going to happen, didn't we?

Derrek has been working long hours. 2 kids + little ol' me = not much time to form complete sentences. Add the 4 month wakeful into the mix, and I have pretty much been running on fume and lots and lots of coffee (or creamer with a little coffee thrown in as Derrek would say). So to make up for lost time, here are some cute pictures of Elijah. I can't believe my little 3.5 month old is pushing up so far on his own! He is getting so big.

There are a lot of big changes coming for our family, and I am so excited! Derrek is changing jobs pretty soon, which will mean more time with us and more benefits for us. God is so good, and His provisions and timing are perfect!

Cailyn is quickly going from itsy bitsy toddler to a little girl, and it is bittersweet. She is learning more things every day and has a memory like a sponge. I took the cutest video of her talking on the phone (before she proceeded to break our Flip cam...sigh)

My kids are funny.

2012-02-26T08:15:00.003-06:00

Especially that Cailyn girl.

We're in the process of repainting our kitchen. I kind of hate painting, but I hate staring at white walls more!

Happy 3 months, Bubba!

2012-02-20T12:45:00.002-06:00

Eli, you're 3 months old (and have been since the 16th, but Mommy is a slacker)!

Here's what you're up to:

* You're probably about 13-14 pounds and 25 inches long. You are so tall!

* You smile SO much. All we have to do is look at you to get you to smile. You really, really love your momma, which makes me feel so good! You love when Daddy holds you!

* You laughed for the first time because I was giving your neck some big Mommy kisses. You loved it!

* You absolutely love bath time. As soon as you're in the water, you are so content and happy. Getting out of the tub is a whole different story...

* You are sleeping through the night, thank the Lord! You eat for the last time around 11-midnight (which I don't mind, I like staying up later anyway), and you wake up usually around 8 or so (or whenever Sissy wakes you up!)

* You love sucking and biting your hands! You love taking your pacifier out of your mouth and swinging it around.

* You have some of the stinkiest toots ever. You can clear out a room. ;)

* We are struggling to get your eczema under control. It seems that Aquaphor is working pretty well, and we just started trying Arbonne products. They seem to work pretty good as well. Still, you are just constantly dry! We call you our little "Flake".

* You are eating 5 oz bottles about 6 times a day!

* You still have the most expressive eyebrows I've ever seen. You can convey how you're feeling just by a simple look, and it cracks us up!

* You love to gurgle and coo.

* Sissy tries to put your paci in your mouth when you're crying. She also exclaims, "Awww, Bubba!" when you're upset. She is such a good little helper!

* You still have very little hair, but what you do have is coming in curly. I love to kiss your fuzzy little head!

Elijah, you have been such a blessing to our family. We couldn't ask for a better son to call our own. We love you so much, Bubba! You bring us so much joy!

Pin It Friday

2012-02-16T21:46:00.003-06:00

I am completely and utterly obsessed with Pinterest. If I don't watch myself, I could get lost in all the home decorating ideas, hairstyles, clothes, RECIPES. Oh, delicious and fattening recipes galore.

I am in a hair rut, so I scoured Pinterest to see what I could come up with. I saw this adorable braid hairband idea and thought I'd try it out this week! This is how mine turned out:

I look like I'm about to punch someone out in that photo, don't I? I was so excited that it turned out because I'm really not very good with styling my hair. Heck, I'm surprised I can operate a straightener.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T08:46:00.001-06:00

We hope you enjoy your sweet day!

Random Friday Musings

2012-02-10T22:40:00.003-06:00

* I spent the whole day just curled up on the couch with the babies reading on my Kindle app. I haven't spent the day reading in forever! I thoroughly recommend The Hunger Games series. Seriously, I am hooked. I read the first book in a matter of a day and a half!

I am so excited for the movie now. Just watching the previews gives me goosebumps!

* We are getting some snow here. Not as much as up north by the lake, but enough to actually feel like winter. I'm starting to really get annoyed with the weather lately though - I thought for sure that the spring-y weather was here to stay. I wish this Indiana winter would make up its mind!

* I am going to shop for spring/summer clothes for Cailyn soon. Eli has enough clothes to last him awhile, but Cailyn is growing like a little weed! I keep checking out Old Navy. Look at these cute little outfits!

Old Navy has the cutest baby clothes. I love all the floral prints they have out for spring!

* I think I am going to try to cut pop (or soda for you non-regional people :P) out of my diet. I think I'm kinda addicted. And by addicted, I mean I crave it. Not good. Right now I'm downing a Cherry Pepsi and it's 11 at night. Yeah.

* Also, I need to start exercising. I have a Jillian Michaels DVD that's collecting dust, and I think I need to put it to good use. But what I REALLY want is a Kettlebell. Have you ever seen those workout routines? A friend of mine's sister is a Kettlebell trainer out in California (like, she trains the Grey's Anatomy cast and other celebs), and I want her DVD. It looks insane! And it looks like it might whip my body back in shape by summer. See, I have lost all my pregnancy weight and then some, but my problem is that everything needs to be toned. My stomach looks like a melting ice cream cone, and not the delicious kind!

Anyway, here is her sister's DVD. Want.

* I'm considering lopping off my hair. Derrek about had a heart attack when I told him this. He loves my hair long, but it is so hard to take care of when you have babies all over the place. ;) Ok, so maybe doing my hair is just on the bottom of the priority totem pole these days, but I want something manageable, but cute. I've been scouring Pinterest, but Derrek have vetoed just about every short-ish haircut I've shown him. What a stinker!

That's about all I have for now. Hope you all have a good weekend!

Our Love Story

2012-02-08T17:37:00.008-06:00

I'm linking up with From Mrs to Mama to tell you the story of us! I thought it was only appropriate since Valentine's Day is right around the corner. :)

1. How long have you and your significant other been together?

We've been together for 4 years now.

2. How did you meet?

We were a classic Jim and Pam from The Office love story - we met at work! :) I was 2 hours away at college, and I came home to work over my Christmas break. It was at an office I had worked at full-time over the summer, so I figured I'd make some extra money during the month I was home. They had hired a new guy while I was away to do some maintenance/office work, and I met him my first day back at work. This is so cheesy and cliche, but I fell for him the moment I saw him. He was tall, had brown curly hair, and was just as handsome as could be. What drew me to him the most was his personality - he had the ability to make a whole room laugh, and everyone just loved him.

I was just getting out of a long, serious relationship, so I wasn't looking to have another one any time soon. We flirted back and forth for a couple weeks, but nothing ever came of it. Soon, it was time to go back to school. Sadface.

But, I came back a couple months later to talk to my boss about working over my spring break (I'm just full of fun when it comes to school breaks as you can tell!), and Derrek pulled me aside to ask for my number. We talked for a month over the phone, and he came down to visit me. We went hiking and had an absolute blast. We was like peas and carrots. /Forrest Gump

Fast forward a month - we were engaged. A year later, we were married. I knew that I knew that I knew this was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

3. If married, how long have you been married?

We will be married 3 years in March. Crazy!

4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding?

We got married at our small country church we attended. It was super small and intimate - totally perfect for us!

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another?

He is Dirky and I'm Kirky. Don't ask; I don't know how we came up with that! Also, we call each other "Dog". Like, "Hey dog!" "How's my dog?" We're weird.

6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.

I love his love for God. I love his desire to be a great husband. I love his goofiness.

7. Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal?

I was away at school, and I'd come home on the weekends to see him. All week, he had told me that he had a huge surprise for me. I was so excited - I was thinking a day trip somewhere, nice dinner...I had no idea what was in store for me! It was nighttime, and we took a walk around the bike path at the park. He sat me down on a bench, got down on one knee, and proposed! It was completely out of the blue. Of course I said yes! He told me that he had asked my mom and dad's permission before asking me. That made me love him even more. :) This was my ideal proposal. I couldn't have dreamed of it being any more exciting than that!

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?

He shows his love more in every day things - like doing the dishes, romantic letters, big bear hugs, sweet kisses. I will take those any day!

9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?

Definitely pop in a movie and relax on the couch girl! I'm very low maintenance when it comes to date nights. There's nothing I love more than cuddling on the couch after a long day of chasing kids! :)

10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?

We would go to Tennessee and get a chalet in the mountains like we did for our honeymoon. It was gorgeous and just perfect, and I want to relive that week!

11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day.

Well, considering my birthday is the day after V-day...yeah, like that means anything, ha! We probably won't do much of anything. I do plan on writing him a sweet card and making a nice dinner. With homemade mashed potatoes. Bam.

12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's day?

Probably to wake up at 5 with Bubba so I can sleep in. Sleep is more precious than gold these days!

13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love.

Communicate and laugh, laugh, laugh. Never forget why you fell in love.

14. Show us a picture of what love means to you.

Home Alone

2012-02-04T10:37:00.005-06:00

This week has been ultra busy, but the transition to being alone with both of the kids most of the day has been going pretty well so far. Derrek hasn't been getting home until about 8, so I've been with them from 5:30 in the morning up until then. I was so nervous at first, because I'm all like, "What if both of them are CRYING? What if one of them STARVES TO DEATH while I'm feeding the other?! What if Cailyn drinks a gallon bleach? LOUD NOISES!" Yeah, nothing like that has happened yet (well, except both of them crying but it's pretty easy to fix that one.)

Cailyn has been so sweet trying to help me with Elijah. Whenever he cries, she's always there with his "doo doo" (what we call the pacifier), and she tries to put it in his mouth. If she has a sippy of milk, she offers him a drink by practically knocking him out with the cup.

Here are a couple things I have learned in the last week:

- Never underestimate the powers of Veggie Tales.
- Children always poop in twos.
- Pacifier weaning can always wait.
- Clean laundry wrinkles when it sits in ransacked piles for a week.
- Pure happiness is watching a little girl dance and a little boy coo in joy from just seeing your face.

And last, but certainly not least, here is a sweet boy playing on his playmat. Can you believe he will be 3 months old in less than two weeks? Unreal.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-01T17:41:00.003-06:00

Big Plans

2012-01-31T15:46:00.006-06:00

I've had major help with both of the kids during the day for the past couple of months. Derrek was home with us since he was laid off in November, so I never really got the full effect of being home alone with two kids under two. We received that magical call two nights ago, and thanks to the freakishly warm weather we have been getting lately, Derrek is going back to the daily grind of steel mills, trucks without air conditioning, and the black lung.

So, in honor of my first real day as a loner mom with two babies, I decided to take the kids on a walk in our fancy double stroller. That was my big plan for today. BIG PLANS!

I obsessed over my schedule for the "big day" and ran over the game plan before going to bed last night. I would feed Eli at noon, Cailyn would eat lunch at 12:30, and then I'd get the kids bundled up, buckle them in, and off we'd go. Before then, I'd have to make sure to find time to get dressed and ready myself.

Here is how my real first day by myself has gone:

5:30 am: Wake up, feed Eli, kiss Derrek off to work.

6:00 am - 8:30 am: Saw logs.

8:30 am: Wake up, fix Cailyn breakfast, feed Eli.

9:00 am: Pray that both of the kids will take a nap so I can take a shower.

9:30 am: Both kids are still awake. Sit Cailyn in front of an episode of Yo Gabba Gabba! on Netflix and practically suffocate Eli in blankets in his Rock n' Play, because God knows that's the only way he's content when he's not being held.

10:00 am: Take a shower, get out to a crying baby.

10:10 am: Slip on a wet spot on the kitchen floor from my dripping hair on the way back to the bathroom.

10:30 am: Get halfway dressed (nice top, PJ bottoms - I wait until the very last minute to put on my jeans), hair blow-dried.

10:45 am: Both kids are sleeping. Hallelujah. Time to whip out the stroller and get this sucker figured out.

11:30 am: I am crying in frustration. I cannot figure this thing out. I need to somehow get Eli's infant seat into it but it's not fitting. Do I take out the seat? Do I really have to use a screwdriver for this?! Vaguely remembers Derrek throwing the owner's manual away after Cailyn ate/tore up half the pages.

12:00 pm: Depression sets in. This walk just isn't going to happen. The stroller is sitting in my kitchen as a constant reminder of the walk that won't happen. My big plans? They're big failures.

12:30 pm: Both kids wake up. Feed Cailyn lunch, feed Eli. Stroller sits in the kitchen, mocking me.

Let me just say that I am the most mechanically-disabled person there is. When Cailyn was a baby (did I really just say that? Whoa.), it took me literally 15 minutes to figure out how to latch her into the car seat base. I was crying out of frustration. The simplest devices have me scratching my head. I just don't.understand.mechanics. Also, I use the word "mechanics" because it makes me feel better about the fact that I have such a hard time figuring out things that an eight-year-old could probably do.

Since it's getting dark out now, and because I'm afraid tinkering around with the stroller anymore will result in me accidentally removing a wheel, we'll have to save the walk for another day. It was a nice thought, though.

Here I am in all my half-dressed glory.

It really doesn't get any cuter than this!

Here is what my living room looks like right now. No, really. hyperventilates

And here's Miss Knievel herself.

I think I'll have the Super Mom thing down pretty soon, right?

Oh, hi. I'm still alive!

2012-01-30T22:00:00.005-06:00

As you can see, I'm giving the blog a much-needed facelift. I've been craving an outlet to write, so after a little month hiatus, I'm going to get back in the blogging thing. Hopefully I'll be doing some finishing touches within the next couple days and get back into the swing of things. That is, if these kids let me! ;)

Also, I've renamed the blog to One Blessed Mess. I was sitting here trying to think of a catchy name for the blog, something other than the generic title I've had for awhile. I didn't want just any name though - I wanted something substantial and with meaning. This is my little place to post pictures from life and to write. (Although, I'm going to start making it my main focus to write. I love how this is a scrapbook blog as well, but I just need to write lately. I have so much on my mind lately.)

Anywho, Derrek and I were laughing the other day about how our house is in a constant state of chaos - random baby toys strewn everywhere, a rocking horse tipped on its side, a swiped cell phone that Cailyn isn't supposed to have; you know, the usual. I realized that this mess is a blessing. Our children are a blessing. Some day, our house will be perfectly clean and tidy. We'll most likely have more money. We'll probably get to travel way more. But we'll think back on these days, these days where our house feels torn up from the floor up and miss it. So voila! One Blessed Mess. I guess you can figure on me being a mess most days as well, so it's a multi-purpose title! ;)

Christmas 2011

2011-12-26T14:28:00.007-06:00

We had such a fun Christmas! We were busy, busy but it was great spending time with family. I can't believe it has already come and gone. Now we are looking at a new year and I'm left wondering where in the world 2011 has gone!

Friday night, we went to my parents' house because Pooh Bear and Tigger were going to be coming around town in a big sleigh. We thought Cailyn would enjoy it, and she sure did! She smiled so big when they came up to her and even tried hugging Pooh's hand. :)

Saturday night, Derrek's parents had us over for dinner. Cailyn enjoyed opening up some presents! We made the parents gifts from the "kids" - a framed picture of the two of them and a canvas finger painting from Cailyn with both hers and Eli's handprints on them. They really liked it! This is about the best picture we got of Cailyn the whole night since she's such a busybody. At least I'm looking at the camera!

On Christmas day, Eli slept through the night (Hallelujah!) and Cailyn woke up around 8:30 (Hallelujah!) She opened some gifts from Santa! We only got her a couple things since she is the girl who has everything *cough*SPOILEDBYGRANDPARENTS*cough* and our house already looks like Toys R' Us. She enjoyed the wrapping paper more anyway!

That afternoon, we went to my grandparents' house like we do every year. It just isn't Christmas without going to Grandma and Papa's! We had such a great time, as always.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-21T23:41:00.002-06:00

Buddies

2011-12-17T23:11:00.005-06:00

Today, I was looking at both of my sweet napping children and thinking about their bright futures.

More than anything, I thought of how good of friends they are going to be. Right now, I think Cailyn only understands that Eli is a "bebe" and that he is going to be sticking around for awhile.

What she doesn't know yet is how good of friends they're going to be. They'll play together. They'll giggle together. They'll confide in each other. They'll fight. They'll hug. They'll love each other unconditionally.

They'll be brother and sister. Forever and ever.

Cruising to Christmas

2011-12-13T14:18:00.005-06:00

I can't believe in a little over a week, Christmas (my favorite time of year by the way!) is going to be here. Even more shocking is that Elijah will be a month old in 3 days! How did this month pass by so quickly? Where did this whole year go?!

Things have definitely been settling down around here. We're finally starting to get into some sort of groove. I'm a very routine person, so this makes me happy. :) I'm still not getting much sleep at night, but I'm still hoping for a solid 8 hours again someday soon! Derrek let me sleep in the other morning which was a huge help.

Cailyn is at such a cute age right now. She has been entertaining us by dancing, singing, "reading" us books, and loving on her little brother. She will go up to him while saying, "Aww!" and give him kisses. Sometimes those kisses turn into attempted smacks in the head, but we're working on how to be nice! She has also been attempting to jump, which ends up being more like one foot goes up in the air while the other stays planted on the ground. She sure makes some honest attempts though!

Elijah LOVES to be held, which is a huge change from when Cailyn was a newborn. We joke that Cailyn was ready to drive as soon as she was born because she was such an independent baby. She really did not like being held for long periods of time. Eli is the exact opposite - he would be in heaven if he could be held forever! This makes nighttime a little tricky because he will fall asleep after eating and as soon as you lay him down, he's wide awake.

"Hey look, I'm asleep!"

"Juuust kidding!"

These days are so short. Derrek and I learned that with Cailyn; we are trying to enjoy every moment, and we can't believe these children are ours.

3 Weeks Old & Tantrums

2011-12-07T13:46:00.004-06:00

How has time passed by so quickly? I can't believe in a little over a week, Eli is going to be a month old. He has been growing like a weed! He was swimming in this outfit a couple weeks ago, and now he's busting at the seams!

It makes me feel so good to see him growing, though. I have been nursing (I didn't nurse Cailyn) and it has been the most challenging yet rewarding thing. There are days that it seems like I don't get up off the couch because he eats all day, but I'm learning how to multi-task. It has been a little adjustment, especially with a rambunctious toddler running around everywhere, but we are slowly settling into a schedule. He only gives me 2 - 2 1/2 hour stretches of sleep at night (sometimes less), but I'm learning how to function on broken sleep and trying to nap when the babies do. Right now they are napping at the same time, which is very rare!

He is such a sweet baby though and really only cries when he's hungry. We love him so much and feel so blessed by this addition to our little family! I would add pictures of Cailyn, but she's going through an anti-camera phase right now. All the recent pictures I have of her are of a blur running across the lens. She's been SO active! She barely gained any weight since her 12 month pediatrician appointment and I'm attributing it to how much running she's been doing. :P

This is sort of a side note, but Cailyn is starting to become very strong-willed in her toddlerhood, and she's been giving us some good tantrums. Mothers who have survived having a toddler or who have toddlers now, how are you dealing with it? She's obviously still grasping the term, "No" and doesn't understand it fully yet (either that, or she just ignores it!) I could use any advice anyone is willing to give!

This is what melts my heart.

2011-12-04T16:42:00.002-06:00

Random Pictures From the Week

2011-11-29T11:00:00.002-06:00

Here are some picture I've taken the past couple of days! We're still working on settling into some sort of organized chaos here, and hopefully I can get back to blogging more often. :)

Squishy, grunty baby!

Cailyn LOVES her applesauce (which she makes quite obvious by licking the container!)

"So, can I slap him in the face now?"

A Very Real Family Picture

2011-11-25T14:39:00.003-06:00

Our first family of four picture: a fussy, tired 15-month-old who ripped the bow out of her hair and a hungry, crying 1-week-old. Notice that the parents are still smiling though. :)

Eli's Birth Story

2011-11-23T19:47:00.009-06:00

I'm running a little late writing this, but later is better than never right? I knew that having 2 under 2 would be difficult, but I didn't know it would be this difficult. Mix that with the usual anxieties of having a brand new baby and nursing literally around the clock, and I feel like we're running a three-ring circus over here! Hopefully things will start settling down soon and we'll be able to settle into some sort of routine. Until then, let the chaos commence! :)

On to the birth story - just a warning, it's a short one (thank goodness!) The tail-end of this pregnancy was incredibly uncomfortable for me and it was to the point to where I could barely even walk. Every doctor appointment, I was hoping I'd be more dilated or more effaced than the doctor told me, and I felt like he was never going to come. I was quite surprised I even went to my due date since Cailyn came a week early on her own, and I just figured that this pregnancy would be similar. I guessed wrong!

On a Friday night, I was having some regular contractions. They were painless, but my doctor had said that if I had more than 8 contractions in an hour to head to labor & delivery. I was having well over 8 contractions and my back was hurting (I had horrible back labor with Cailyn), so we decided to drop Cailyn off with the grandparents, pack up our suitcases, and head to the hospital. When I got there, I learned that I was still only 1 cm dilated and not really ready to go. They put me on the monitors and sent us home within an hour. We were so disappointed when we did the walk of shame out of the hospital!

Fast forward to Wednesday. I was sitting at the computer and got up quickly, only to feel a gush of liquid. I thought for sure my water had started to break! I called Derrek (who was at work at the time) and he started heading home. I called the doctor who told me to get to the hospital right away. The grandparents came and got Cailyn, and we headed off to the hospital for the second time in a week! Surely this was it. I mean, my water had broken!

We got to the hospital and they tested to see if it was my water that had broken. Alas, test #1 came back negative. Test #2 that was sent to the lab came back negative. I was 3 cm dilated, but obviously that doesn't mean much when you're not in active labor. We were so disappointed once again. My doctor came in and offered to induce me. I had some pitocin so I could feel my contractions with Cailyn, and it was so painful that I really didn't want it this time. But, I was so incredibly uncomfortable and in pain that I told him that he could break my water and we could just get the ball rolling. Plus, I was GBS+ so they wanted to get the full 8 hours of antibiotics in. The plan was: break water, round one of antibiotics, pitocin, round two of antibiotics. I knew I was in for the long haul, but I was determined to have my labor unmedicated this time around too. My OB broke my water. There was no turning back now!

They moved me to the laboring room and all of a sudden, the memories of being in the same room when I was delivering Cailyn came back to me. This was it! This was really happening! They hooked up my IV and started administering the first dose of antibiotics. The nurse told me that the pitocin would come later. I was feeling so good and ready to have this baby. I even ate a gigantic grilled chicken salad while I was getting my antibiotics. :P

About 45 minutes later, I started feeling some pressure in my back and pelvis. I wrote it off as just being uncomfortable in the bed. I mean, I hadn't even gotten the pitocin yet. These weren't contractions.

15 minutes pass...and I am in full blown labor. On my own, without pitocin! The nurse was astonished and so excited because she knew I was dreading getting the pitocin. I quickly dilated to a 5. It was back labor again, so I opted to stand straight up instead of laying in the bed. The contractions came 1 minute - 2 minutes apart and lasted a minute and a half each. It was the most intense labor, even more intense than Cailyn. I felt like I wasn't getting any relief. I cried on Derrek's shoulder, told him that I couldn't do it. He just rubbed my back and was the best coach I could ever ask for during such an exhilarating experience. And yes, Derrek took pictures of me laboring. Yes, I did yell at him!

The nurse came to check me and I was a 7. This was Hour 2 of labor, but it felt like a million years. I just couldn't get away from the pain. I just rocked back and forth while holding my stomach and stayed in my own little world.

Soon, I felt the urge to push. I told the nurse and she was like, "Really? I just checked you but I'll check again." She checked me and I was a 9! Almost time to push! She paged my OB and said he'd be up soon.

10 minutes pass...OB is not in the room yet. The urge to push was getting greater and greater, but the nurse told me not to because I wasn't fully dilated yet. Finally, my OB walked in and the nurse told him that he had a couple minutes yet. He said he'd be right outside and left the room for a couple minutes. As soon as he left the room, I had to push. The nurse told me it was okay now, and she and Derrek took my legs and I started pushing like a crazy person. After my second push, the nurse said, "WAIT! STOP!" and told the other nurse to go grab the doctor right away. I couldn't stop though and just kept pushing, ha!

The nurse ran back in and said she couldn't find the doctor. She was like, "What?! He literally just left the room!" They paged him though, and he came in within a couple seconds. They hurried up and put on his gear, and he was just barely there long enough to catch Eli as he came out. They laid our sweet boy on my chest, and he was so beautiful!

He had perfect chubby cheeks and black curly hair. Not as much hair as Cailyn had, but enough to see some sweet little curls. They cleaned him up and weighed him. He was 8 pounds and 11 ounces! How I gave birth to an almost-9 lb. baby, I'll never know! My labor was only 4 hours long after the doctor broke my water. I couldn't ask for a bigger blessing!

We decided to name him Elijah John. We fell in love with the name Elijah (Eli for short), and John is my late grandfather's name. It fit him perfectly. Cailyn came and visited us the next day and absolutely loved him! She exclaimed "Baby!" and promptly slapped him in the face. Ahh, sisterly love! :)

We had to stay in the hospital for 48 hours since I didn't get my full 8 hours of antibiotics in. Everyone was healthy though and we took him home 2 days later! Ever since, our life has been so crazy busy. But I am loving our new family of 4!

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Welcome to the world, Elijah John!

2011-11-19T12:11:00.002-06:00

Born on November 16, 2011. 8 lbs, 11 oz; 19 inches long. Looks JUST like his daddy! Birth story coming soon (all 4 hours of it! :P)

Hi, I'm still here. With a baby. In my stomach.

2011-11-13T22:22:00.003-06:00

Yes, it's true. I'm still pregnant! Come on little buddy, we want to meet you already! I think his plan is to come around Thanksgiving so I'm stuck with yucky hospital food on Turkey Day. See? He's not even an outside baby yet and he's already conniving against me! ;)

Friday night, we had a false alarm. I started having some painless contractions about 6 minutes apart with back pain and some pelvic discomfort. After Derrek got home from work, my mom came and took Cailyn and the dog and we headed to the hospital. Unfortunately, I wasn't in labor and they sent us home after an hour on the monitor.

Saturday I just relaxed because I was in so much pain, but today my mom and I went grocery shopping while Derrek was at work. Grocery shopping put me in labor last time, so I was hoping history would repeat itself!

On another note, Cailyn has been growing like a little weed. She points at everything and goes, "This?" (or something that sounds similar), cuddles with EVERYTHING while saying, "Awww!", and is just a goofball. She gets little spurts of energy every night where she dances around in circles, stomps, marches, and squeals to entertain us. This age is so much fun!

Randomness

2011-11-11T10:54:00.005-06:00

It has been an eventful past couple of days! We had a large tree in our backyard fall during the high winds on Wednesday. Luckily, it missed our garage, house, and fence, but took out our power line connected to our house. It was a stressful day of waiting on the electric company and calling a million electricians but only getting voicemails. Derrek was at work and I was trying to chase Cailyn around while getting this mess figured out! Everything worked out in the end though, thanks to a couple of wonderful blessings from friends and the electric company guy! At least we got to eat McDonald's by candlelight. ;)

I have been anxiously awaiting this little guy's arrival! I am officially 39 weeks as of yesterday, and at this point with Cailyn, she was already in my arms. I need to learn patience, but I am getting increasingly uncomfortable. I spent last night on the couch because of the pain I was in since he keeps dropping lower and lower. How cool would it be for him to have a 11-11-11 birthday?

I have a couple things to finish up around the house today, but we are for the most part ready for his arrival. Clothes are all washed, floors are scrubbed, everything is disinfected, and now it's all up to when he decides to get here!

Side note: We got our first light snow yesterday! I woke up this morning to a pretty dusting all over our grass. It has since melted, but it still made me so excited for the upcoming holidays!

The Waiting Game

2011-11-06T22:30:00.005-06:00

As I sit here, 38 1/2 weeks pregnant, I'm reacquainted with the anxiety and "what if's" I went through with Cailyn. I am so close - like, I'll most likely be holding a baby in my arms within the next week or so - but I feel like it's never going to get here. And then I ask myself stupid questions like, "What if I don't know that I'm going into labor and I have the baby in the bathtub?" With Cailyn, I didn't have the traditional contractions; it was 100% back labor and it felt different than what I imagined labor to feel like. I wonder if this time around I'll have stomach contractions as opposed to crazy pressure and back pain. Then I get nervous because it's not a matter of if I'm going to go through an immense amount of pain, but when. It's going to happen. Ready or not, here he comes. That makes me wonder if I'm crazy in the head for attempting another med-free birth. How did I get through it last time?

I am so ready for him to be here. I don't really care for listening to pregnancy complaints, but I have to say that I have been in pain the past week or so. It will stop me in my tracks sometimes and makes me wonder if I should go to the hospital. It always ends up letting up and I think it is from the baby dropping so low. He has always moved around a lot, but now that he's as low as he can go, it hurts so bad!

I have been living in old T-shirts and sweatpants because those are the only things that fit me anymore. Everything else starts creeping up my gigantic watermelon belly. In fact, here is a picture I took late last week. Notice the fashionable get-up I'm sporting. Hey, just keeping it real!

This has been such a great pregnancy. It went by so quickly and smoothly, and I feel so blessed for that. I just can't wait to snuggle our little boy. I wonder what he'll look like? I wonder if he'll have as much hair as Cailyn did? Will he be as strong-willed as his big sissy is, or will he be more laid back? I can't wait to find out!

Autism Speaks Scentsy Warmer

2011-11-02T17:55:00.003-05:00

The Autism Speaks warmer is on close-out right now, which means it won't be around for much longer. Scentsy donates 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this warmer, and as long as it's in stock, I will be donating 100% of my commission from it to Autism Speaks as well! This is really a beautiful warmer, and what a great cause to give to! I am hoping to be able to send Autism Speaks a big fat check after all is said and done.

Autism is something that I have been learning a lot more about the past couple of months. A friend of mine's daughter was just diagnosed not too long ago, and one of my good friends is a behavior therapist who works with autistic children. Autism is on the rise and it is something that is not given enough publicity. I have been wanting to do something special for an organization for awhile now, and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to contribute to a lesser-known cause. You would get a beautiful warmer out of it as well! :)

The warmer: https://crofford.scentsy.us/Buy/ProductDetails/DSW-SFF-ATSM

The organization: http://www.autismspeaks.org

If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me at christiecrofford@yahoo.com. I think this warmer will only be around for a short amount of time, so let's try to get this organization as much as we possibly can!

Conversations with a 14 month old

2011-11-02T15:15:00.002-05:00

They're deep, they're interesting, and they're laugh-out-loud funny.

Welcome to lunch time at the Crofford house. :)

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T21:36:00.005-05:00

We had such a great time trick-or-treating here! We went down a couple blocks and Cailyn just smiled at all the kids she saw. She loves other kids so much!

She was a cupcake, and it was as adorable on her as I imagined it would be. I'll let the pictures do the talking!

We didn't get as many trick-or-treaters this year as we did last, so we have a TON of candy left over (which is a blessing and a curse at the same time, haha!) I don't know how we're going to eat it all!

On a random note, I went to the doctor today and there hasn't been much progress as far as being close to labor is concerned. I am only 37 1/2 weeks, but still! I'm getting so anxious to meet our little guy. :)

What I'm Excited About

2011-10-29T06:36:00.006-05:00

Sometimes, it's so easy to get caught up in the stress of life that I forget about the little things to get excited about. Do you ever do that? I have always loved the little things in life that put a huge smile on my face, and I have been overlooking them lately with the hubbub of a new baby on the way, not feeling the best, uncertain job situations and just adult responsibility in general (what happened to the days of eating Apple Jacks on Saturday mornings while watching Power Rangers?)

Here's what I'm excited about today!

Sweet baby clothes. I did all of Baby Croff's laundry the other day and folded them neatly into his dresser drawers. I can't get over how little he is going to be to fit into all of these things! There's nothing like baby clothes laundry. Nothing.

Peppermint Mocha Coffeemate. Yum. Just yum.

Fall & anticipating the holidays. The coats, the boots, the tunics and leggings. I love this time of year! I love when all the Christmas decorations start going up in the stores, the way it smells, Thanksgiving, family, all of it. This time of year holds some of the best memories from childhood, and the nostalgia that arises is just the best feeling. Here's a little Fall family picture from last year! Typical Corey can't sit still and you can't even see Cailyn. Ha!

Nursing. That sounds silly doesn't it? This is kind of personal, but I didn't nurse Cailyn and I'm excited to give it an honest go this time around. While I know it isn't easy for most, I think I'll enjoy the bond and benefits of breastfeeding. Do you all have any tips for me? I am sure I can use them! :)

Baking. A lot. I just made brownies the other night, and then I stumbled across a pumpkin muffin recipe that just calls for spice cake, a 15 oz can of pumpkin, and chocolate chips to make them extra amazing. I can't wait to make those this week!

There are so many other things that have given me little butterflies. I can't wait to see how cute Cailyn looks in her cupcake costume on Halloween! I can't wait to eat all the candy she collects from around the neighborhood. ;) I'm also excited for Fellowship Night at church tomorrow night to see some awesome people we haven't seen in months. It'll be a good time!

"I was run-ning!"

2011-10-24T21:51:00.003-05:00

Name that movie, quick! If you guessed Forrest Gump, you get a cookie. :)

No but really, we have a runner in the house now. If you put a pair of shoes on her, she will start running through all the rooms just to hear them stomp on the floor. It's hilarious to see her just aimlessly toddle around everywhere!

Unfortunately, this is what a majority of my pictures look like these days.

She has been keeping us on our toes lately. Temper tantrums are in full-force, complete with screaming, pinching, scratching, and kicking feet. I thought the terrible 2's started at - well - 2? I just wasn't expecting this so soon! Other than that, she definitely has her loving and sweet side! She'll hug her stuffed animals and say, "Aww!" Actually, she'll hug anything and say "Aww!", including our feet, the table, waffles, and Corey's tail.

I wonder if she'll treat her baby brother with such love when he gets here! I imagine she will try to hug him a lot. I am 37 weeks on Thursday, and the anticipation of his arrival is just too much to handle sometimes! I am going to the doctor weekly now, and as of today I am just 1 cm dilated. Ahh!

Here's just a bird's eye view!

I will keep updating with progress reports as I get them! I have so much to do this week - cleaning, washing, cleaning, errands, Scentsy parties, and did I mention cleaning?!

Wordless Wednesday (kind of, sort of, not really)

2011-10-19T22:27:00.003-05:00

Clothes schmothes!

Oh hi, I'm going to lay at your feet and giggle while you do the dishes.

P.S. Be jealous of Derrek's sweet pajama bottoms.

Tripp.

2011-10-19T08:39:00.003-05:00

Tripp Roth. Who is he?

He is a miracle. He is unique, both in his spirit and condition. He and his hero of a mother need our help!

If you aren't familiar with the story of Tripp Roth, I encourage you to read about him. This little boy is a living miracle, surviving daily in a heartbreaking world of pain. His story is up on Reader's Digest and his (single) mother has a chance to win $25,000 and have his story published to raise awareness about his terrible skin disorder. It only takes a second to cast a vote which will greatly improve this family's future. I ask you to please vote for Tripp every day until November 15th. He needs our help and with nothing but a click of your mouse, you can.

Please vote here.

Read about Tripp's journey here. (Warning: There are extremely graphic pictures and just a heartbreaking story in general. It will really put things into perspective - I have been counting my blessings!)

Maternity Pictures

2011-10-16T10:02:00.006-05:00

My friend Megan at Moments in Time Photography took some maternity pictures for me a couple days ago. She is so talented and the pictures turned out absolutely amazing! Now I wish I would have gotten some done when I was pregnant with Cailyn.

Cailyn was an absolute angel while I was getting the pictures taken, and even slept in the car most of the time while we were out at the county fairgrounds. I love this little girl!

I am so excited to have such beautiful pictures that I can remember this season of my life by!

Scentsy Giveaway Winner!

2011-10-12T21:18:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to Julie (soapymoose@hotmail.com)! She is the winner of the Scentsy Premium Full-Size Snapshot Warmer and Autumn Stroll bar!

Thank you to all who entered. I'm sure there will be many more giveaways to come!

Are you there, October? It's me, Christie.

2011-10-10T22:19:00.005-05:00

We have had some unusually warm weather here in Indiana the past couple of days! It got up to the upper 80's last week, and it's a good thing we didn't pack away our shorts just yet. I guess summer is just trying to hang on for dear life, but I'm SO ready for cool, crisp air and the Fall-y weather. The midwest can be very indecisive when it comes to changing seasons. ;)

We started our weekend off by playing in the backyard with Corey! Cailyn looked so cute in her little play outfit and new tennis shoes!

Corey will run as fast as she can around the yard, come back in a circle, and run around Cailyn. She'll giggle so hard! She is still trying to master the art of walking in our grass and it's so funny to see her toddling around. I still can't believe she's walking. I guess it'll take some getting used to after seeing her either laying like a blob or crawling around on her hands and knees!

We had a day out with my parents on Sunday. It was such a great time, and so nice to spend the day with my mom and dad. They are a blast and a half to hang out with, and Cailyn loved spending time with her Grandma and Papa! She even ordered herself some eggs and biscuits off the menu at Cracker Barrel. :)

I love how serious my husband is when I ask if he'll take a picture with me! What do you think, frame-worthy?

Have you ever tried a salted caramel frappuccino (or latte)? I wanted to go into a Starbucks coma after drinking one of these guys! And, I just realized I've been spelling "frappuccino" wrong for a really long time.

I have been feeling so worn down and sore the past couple days, and it's a constant reminder that I only have a couple weeks left before we meet our baby boy. I am so excited and nervous at the same time! I'm feeling pretty unprepared, so I made a to-do list of things I want to get done before he arrives. Now let's hope he waits until I can cross everything off that needs to be done!

Just a reminder, the Scentsy giveaway is still open! I have decided to go ahead and close the giveaway on Wednesday at 9 PM CST instead of Friday since I have gotten so many entries already. That way you guys don't have to wait 2 extra days! :)

Scentsy Giveaway!

2011-10-07T10:15:00.010-05:00

I am SO excited about this giveaway. As you all know, I starting being an independent consultant with Scentsy a few weeks ago. It has been SO much fun so far. I love the productivity, the products, and of course, the relationships that I am building because of this business.

As a thank you for helping me jump-start my business, I am giving away the Snapshot Premium Full-Size warmer and Autumn Stroll Scentsy bar, both of which are the scent & warmer of the month!

I love this warmer because you can put your favorite picture in it for fun personalization. Autumn Stroll is sure to make your house smell like Fall with its warm, spicy aroma.

If you do not know what Scentsy is, let me tell you quickly - they are warmers lit by a lightbulb (no wick, which means safer) and you put the pieces of bar or brick on the top to slowly let it melt and give off the fragrance of your choice! With over 80 fragrances, there is definitely something for everyone. There are a wide range of warmers to choose from with different sizes and styles, as well as wall plug-ins, Scentsy buddies, on-the-go products, and more! They also make great gifts, especially now that the holidays are arriving.

Not only do they have premium products, but Scentsy is also a very giving company. They live by the mantra, "The more life you give away, the more you shall receive." They donate to some incredible causes, and you'll see specialty warmers and products all over the site in which 100% of the proceeds go to charity.

You will get 3 chances to enter, and here's how!

1.) Leave me a comment with your name and e-mail address, and tell me what your favorite thing about Fall is.

2.) Go to my Scentsy page and leave me another comment telling me which warmer you love!

3.) "Like" my Facebook page, then leave me a comment telling me that you have.

I will choose a winner using random.org next Wednesday, October 12th at 9 PM CST.

Thank you for entering, and if you have any questions about joining or buying Scentsy, feel free to ask! :)

I have had numerous reports of comments not showing up on Internet Explorer. I am trying to figure this out, but in the meantime, please try using another browser to post comments if it is possible! Also, you leave all your comments on my blog! So don't worry about commenting on my Scentsy pages, just leave separate comments for every entry here! Sorry if I confused anyone. :)

The girl and her sippy

2011-10-04T22:30:00.002-05:00

I remember a time in which I thought Cailyn would never take a sippy. She hated the darn things with a passion and only wanted milk from her bottles. I foresaw Cailyn drinking liquids from a bottle for the rest of her life.

Well, let's just say that things have drastically changed in the Crofford house and now they're BFF.

These are the sippies we use:

Go figure that we'd spend half a fortune on fancy sippies with straws and spouts made of silicone and handles made of rare unicorn horn. She stuck with her $3 hard-spout cup, and this momma isn't complaining one bit!

Hello October!

2011-10-02T21:54:00.006-05:00

I LOVE October. I am so excited for this month - we're planning a trip to the pumpkin patch, Halloween, and I have been keeping really busy with launching my new business, which has been so much fun!

This is totally random, but while Cailyn is a huge fan of waffles, I am stuck in a breakfast rut. It's always either waffles & fruit or scrambled eggs & fruit. What do you feed your kids for breakfast? Preferably something quick and easy because I am not a huge breakfast chef!

Yesterday, my mom and I went grocery shopping together since Derrek was working. It was so nice to have an extra set of hands grocery shopping, because the bigger I'm getting, the harder it is to do all these things while juggling an active toddler! She is such a little ham when we're at the store. She especially loves smiling at other babies and kids! She will wave "hi" and "bye bye" to anyone and just give sweet smiles. I love our little outgoing girl! I cracked up at the picture of her hugging the bag of chips. The girl will literally hug anything if you hand it to her and say, "Hugs and kisses!" (And how cute is that Halloween outfit? Thank you Grandma and Papa!)

Cailyn has been coughing up a lung all day, but I think it's because the gunk that was clogging her tear duct is draining into her nose/throat. Her eye has been clear for the past week now! I'm going to give it another week and see if it stays clear, and then I'll make an appointment for the eye doctor. That would mean that she wouldn't have to have the eye probing procedure done if the membrane ended up spontaneously opening by itself. Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow I have a doctor appointment. How do I only have 6 weeks left until my due date? It's still so surreal to me. I can't believe I'll be snuggling a newborn baby boy by Thanksgiving!

Oh yeah, feeling MUCH better.

2011-09-29T23:01:00.003-05:00

Notice how the name of the picture file is "cailtrouble". I always name these files based on what's going on in the picture - and trouble is exactly what she's getting into!

I love Fall!

2011-09-28T07:54:00.005-05:00

Despite the lovely sicknesses that come around this time of year (like the virus that wouldn't die that is currently ailing poor Cail), I am absolutely in love with the crisp air, colorful trees, crunchy leaves, and smells of Fall!

We recently purchased Cailyn's Halloween costume, and she's going to be a cupcake! I can't wait to see how adorable she looks in it. It's from Old Navy, and just a warning: the costumes run pretty big. We ended up having to get a 6-12 month for our peanut!

It's been quite rainy the past couple of days, so we haven't gotten to enjoy any of the fresh air, but with temps like this I just know Fall will be in full swing once all the rain passes through! The trees are already starting to change here, and I am already planning on a little day trip down to Southern Indiana to see all the beauty. Well, I guess right now I could plan a day trip to the grocery store and be satisfied - it's hard having cabin fever with all this rain and a sick baby!

I have also been using Cailyn's extremely long naptimes to dig into this book:

I caught the second half of the movie on the Hallmark Channel the other night, and I'll admit, I was sucked into the girly cheesiness of it all. The book is way better though, and I can't wait to read the others in the series! Nerd alert.

Ohandplusalso, I have this guy plugged in with Welcome Home melting in it, and it couldn't smell Fallier. Yes, that's a new word. But really though, I think I'm really going to enjoy being a consultant for this company.

I have also been making homemade hot chocolate, and it is so good. I had two mugs of it last night!

Ingredients:
1/3 c. cocoa
3/4 c. sugar
1 pinch salt
1/3 c. boiling water
3.5 c. milk
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c. half & half (usually we don't add this and it still tastes delish!)

1.) Combine cocoa, sugar, and salt with boiling water. Bring it back to a boil, then simmer for 2 minutes.

2.) Stir in milk (but do not boil!) and let it get really hot. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.

3.) Pour into mugs and add half & half if you wish. We top ours with whipped cream and it's the perfect treat for cold nights!

I hope you all have been enjoying your first days of Fall!

What our day is consisting of.

2011-09-26T17:09:00.003-05:00

Cailyn has never been sick - up until this month. We had a bought of roseola a couple weeks ago, and now she has been congested and woke up with a 101 degree fever. I got her in to the pediatrician this morning, and she thinks it's just a virus running its course.

Poor pitiful girl. Now her fever is up to 102.3 so I gave her some Infants' Tylenol, but I'm going to hold off medicating her all day so we can see how her fever looks over the next couple days. I have a feeling there will be lots of snuggling today! My usually independent baby just wants to be held.

And now if you'll excuse me, I'm pretty sure I have Toxic Diaper #2 awaiting me.

Attempted photoshoot with a 13 month old.

2011-09-25T10:00:00.002-05:00

Where I am right now.

2011-09-22T06:37:00.003-05:00

God has been teaching me a lot about myself over the past couple months, and quite honestly, I feel like it's been one emotional rollercoaster after another. Between a handful of trials testing both my patience and faith, expecting another baby in a few short months, and balancing being a wife, mother, and caretaker of the house while my husband works long hours, sometimes I feel like I'm at the end of my rope.

Wait, do I even have a rope anymore?

It's no secret to myself that I'm a control-freak when it comes to my life. I have to have all my ducks in a row, and if they're not, then I get this anxiety that eats at me every day until the problem is resolved.

That is, until I realize that life isn't glamorous all the time. Things aren't going to be perfect. I can try to portray them that way all I want, but it's just not possible. I need to tell this perfectionism that has been deeply embedded in me since I was a kid to take a long walk off a short pier. Of course that is what my brain tells me; changing is a whole other thing.

Usually I use this blog as a memory book of sorts for my daughter, but this is also a blog about my family. I'm a discreet person when it comes to personal issues and don't let them fly outwardly very often, but I think writing my fears for the whole world to see can be incredibly freeing and therapeutic instead of hiding behind a mask that portrays having it all together.

The reality of it is that I am incredibly blessed. Incredibly. I have a wonderful, wonderful man who is not only my perfect counterpart, but also an amazing father. You should see how Cailyn's face lights up whenever he walks through that door from work, that cute little, "Daddy!" she exclaims as she toddles into his arms. It melts my heart every. single. time.

I have a healthy daughter who continues to bring more joy into mine and Derrek's lives as she grows and learns new things. She is perfectly happy even when we're stressing out about things, just perfectly content with her world. She has her mommy and daddy next to her - what more could she want? Sometimes I feel like I could learn a whole wealth of knowledge from that little girl. I long for a childlike faith, a faith that says, "I am totally oblivious to all these trials that surround me, and I have a security knowing everything is going to be okay."

So as my little family steps into a new chapter of our lives in the next couple months, I just ask God to give us peace and rest in Him that He has it all figured out. He knows me. He knows my anxiety. He knows my freak-outs. He knows my fears and weaknesses. But He's there to counteract all those things as long as I want to lay them down and give them up.

It couldn't possibly get any better than that.

Now here is a cookie for finishing that novel:

Just throwing this out there.

2011-09-21T11:00:00.002-05:00

I recently decided to start selling Scentsy! I'm so excited to be apart of a company that has such a good reputation and provides such quality products.

If you don't know what Scentsy is, they're wickless candles (warmers lit by a light bulb with bricks and bars that melt in them), and they are beautiful and smell SO good!

Feel free to browse the site, order, or ask any questions you may have!

My Scentsy Site

Please bear with me!

2011-09-20T11:15:00.000-05:00

As you can see, my blog is getting a much-needed makeover! I'm doing all this myself, so it's probably going to take a couple days for it to look all new and spiffy. So if you check it and it's looking a little under the weather, you know why!

I know it's been forever!

2011-09-18T12:30:00.005-05:00

Sorry guys, I have really been slacking. I know you all have been wondering where I've been since my life is so interesting and everything. ;)

I have been keeping quite busy with our new little WALKER. She has been walking around the house for the past couple weeks, and now she's an old pro at it. She'll even try running once in awhile which results in some healthy spills to the floor. I'm still getting used to this toddler thing, it's all so new! We're also completely off of bottles and strictly on the sippy cup. I am so happy to have gotten that out of the way before our little guy gets here!

Speaking of little guy, just 2 short months to go! Derrek and I both feel like I won't make it to 40 weeks. I honestly feel like I'm about ready to pop right now! Everything is going really well with the pregnancy! The only thing I can really complain about is some lower back/sciatic nerve pain. Other than that, my heartburn has let up quite a bit now that he's decided to start dropping! Here I am at 31 weeks:

I told you - big! :)

Other than that, there's really nothing new. Cailyn just got over a bout with roseola and she is going to the doctor for her clogged tear duct on the 24th. If you could, please just say a quick prayer that the duct can easily become unclogged so the procedure is quick and easy!

Cleaning out the closet!

2011-09-02T12:36:00.001-05:00

I am selling some of Cailyn's clothes that were very much loved, but have been outgrown on Yardsellr. If you've never been on Yardsellr before, it's amazing. It's way better than Ebay because there aren't as many fees, etc. All of the items I have posted have free shipping! I will be adding more throughout the weekend.

http://yardsellr.com/yardsale/Christie-Crofford-390270

We need to make room for Big Girl clothes and sweet baby boy clothes! :)

Oh, hi there!

2011-08-31T08:19:00.006-05:00

So...I'm sorry about not updating in a really long time. We've had quite an adventurous past couple of weeks, and while I don't really want to get into it, God has really been teaching me patience and trust. This is where I struggle the most - I want to be in control of everything and I just may be the most impatient person in the world. Well, that is not the best combination, and I can only pray that God makes a change in me. I think he throws us little (and sometimes big) trials to test our faith and while we won't earn more righteousness with God than we already have through Jesus, I believe they bring us closer to Him.

Sorry to get off on such a tangent. I know you all just want Cailyn updates anyway. :P

Our little stinker turned one on the 29th, and we had a small family get-together to celebrate last Saturday! We had originally planned to have a big birthday party for her with almost 40 people invited, but unforseen circumstances forced us to cut the party down. It was so nice being able to spend the time with family and it ended up being such a great time!

My camera battery died before I had a chance to get her messy baby pictures when she ate her cupcake, but my mom should be sending me her pictures later this week!

We also had a pediatrician appointment on her birthday (getting 3 shots on your birthday =/= a good time by the way!) Cailyn is perfectly healthy and is apparently a little shrimp! She is 20.8 lbs, 28" long, and has a 97th percentile head! Poor girl got the Hornickel genes on that one! A petite girl with a big noggin. :P

Let's see what she's up to!

* You are eating 3 meals with 2 snacks a day, and you are completely off of formula. You drink about 18 oz of cow's milk a day and you love apple juice with your meals.

* Your favorite meals are spaghetti, grilled cheese, scrambled eggs, and you are still obsessed with puffs!

* You are still sleeping through the night, but have started waking up earlier in the morning.

* You still have 5 adorable little teeth!

* You LOVE giving hugs and kisses, waving, pointing, and clapping.

* You dance to music and try to sing along with it.

* You are in the beginning stages of walking! You have recently been walking across the room and you giggle and have a goofy grin on your face the whole time. You think you can run, but you end up falling when you do that. :P

* And a new addition: you pick your nose and take your diaper off. We are going to have to learn manners!

This girl definitely has me on my toes these days!

As far as Baby Joshua goes (that is still the name choice so far!), he is growing and so is momma! I feel like I am already 35 weeks pregnant, but I am only 29. He is up so high that I get terrible heartburn, but that is really the only thing I can complain about with this pregnancy. It has been such a blessed time, and I love feeling his kicks all day.

I failed my 1-hour glucose test (surprise, surprise), and had to take a 3-hour test last week. Hopefully I passed that one! I will find out at my doctor appointment tomorrow. :) I promise I will get back into the swing of blogging!

Bear with me...

2011-08-11T22:14:00.002-05:00

I'm in the middle of a total blog redesign. Plus, life is just boring at the moment (hey, uneventful can be a good thing, right?)

Here's an obligatory cute Cailyn picture:

Oh, and Joshua David/John David/whatever his name is going to be says hi. He gave me a good kick in the ribs because I think he knew I was about to leave him out of this post!

11 Months Old! (A Couple Days Late)

2011-08-01T22:18:00.003-05:00

Happy 11 months sweet girl!

Cailyn turned 11 months on the 29th. I am a blog failure, so of course I didn't update in time, but late is better than never! :)

Let's see what you're up to:

* You are probably around 21 pounds and 29 - 29.5 inches if I had to guess.
* You are on the verge of walking. You took a mini-step last night and have been standing up on your own from the floor for about a week now. I have a feeling it's coming very quickly!
* You get into everything. And by everything, I mean everything. You are extremely curious.
* Your favorite foods are Lil' Crunchies, blueberries, bananas, and spaghetti.
* You give everything hugs and kisses!! If we say "Aww!" or "Give hugs and kisses", you'll put whatever you have in your hand up to your ear and "hug" it. You also have a Raggedy Ann doll which is your baby, and we will ask you to "Go get your baby", and you'll give hugs and kisses to her too!
* You love to chase Corey around in circles.
* You have 5 teeth and your 6th is about ready to pop through soon. (You love to have your teeth brushed!)
* You dance and clap to music. As soon as a favorite commercial or song comes on, you drop what you're doing to clap to it.
* Your little personality shines through more and more each day and we're loving it!

Homemade Caramel Frappacinos

2011-07-28T11:18:00.005-05:00

I recently stumbled across this recipe, and it is too good not to share! They taste just like Starbucks frappacinos (even better because you can customize the amount of caramel in them!), but for a fraction of the cost.

Ingredients:

* 1/2 - 1 c. coffee, frozen (I brewed 8 cups of coffee at 1.5x the strength, and poured them into 8 individual mini-Gladware containers
* 3 T caramel syrup
* 2 T sugar
* 1/2 c. milk (I just used regular 2%)
* 1/2 c. heavy cream (you could just use milk for this to if you wish)
* 1 - 1/2 c. ice (1.5 c was perfect for me!)
* Reddi-Whip
* Caramel ice cream topping

1.) Place the frozen coffee, caramel syrup, sugar, milk, heavy cream, and ice into blender and blend until smooth.

2.) Pour into a glass and top with Reddi-Whip and caramel topping. Enjoy!

This recipe made the perfect amount for both Derrek and I!

Heat Wave

2011-07-20T15:19:00.008-05:00

Indiana (and it looks like most of the country) is getting hit hard with a heat wave! We have been in over 100 degree heat indexes for the past couple days, but today is by far the hottest with a 115 degree heat index. Tomorrow is supposed to be even worse!

Poor Corey, I can't imagine how she must feel with all that fur!

Needless to say, we've been hanging out in the air conditioning and staying out of the sun! I had to send out Cailyn's birthday invitations today, but other than that, we've been indoors all week which makes for a stir crazy mama.

Cailyn has pretty much been in just a diaper all week (except when we ran errands). Even with the air conditioning running nonstop, it is still 82 in our house!

I can also kiss cute toes goodbye for the rest of the summer it seems. I stubbed my toe today and hurt my big toenail pretty badly. The toenail is pretty much half hanging off, which is just disgusting. I have never done anything like that before! I guess I should slow my pregnant self down because I am not the most coordinated person in the world. Ha!

I feel like I have just gotten huge within the past week! Here's me stuffing myself into my shorts! I am trying to hold off on maternity wear as long as I can, but the time is definitely near.

Sorry for the quality of all the pictures - they were taken with my phone. I hope y'all are staying cool!

Hello? Is anyone out there?

2011-07-17T22:27:00.005-05:00

I have been seriously neglecting this blog! I guess the reason is that we have had such a laid back summer so far and nothing too thrilling has happened. We have just been enjoying the outdoors, laying in the pool, getting some sun, and missing Daddy as he works a million hours a week.

I went to my parents' house this weekend and helped out with their garage sale. They're putting their house on the market, so they wanted to clear out a lot of things they've had in storage for awhile! It was super hot outside, so Cailyn and I went inside to cool down. She had a great time looking out the door and "talking" to everyone though!

Cailyn's new favorite thing to do is clap - and she does it all the time. She will break out into clapping at the most random times. She has also been trying to stand up by herself! At times she succeeds - and I thought she was even going to take her first step tonight - but she prefers to crawl much more. Walking is for the birds!

If you have a baby who LOVES to self feed, I highly recommend these:

I bought these at the store about a week ago because they looked interesting, and Cailyn gobbled up a whole can within a couple days! She loves them. They come in so many flavors too!

I have been planning Cailyn's first birthday party this week! I have the guest list down and I designed and ordered the invitations. I should be receiving them in the mail any day now, and I'm super excited to see how they turned out! Here is the document I created in Photoshop using inspiration from some cute invitations online!

The theme of the party is polka dots. :)

As for a baby update, Baby Croff is doing well. We still don't know if he's a Joshua or a John or something completely different. He has been kicking me like crazy, especially at night! I had a dream that I went into labor a couple nights ago and work up with the worst Braxton Hicks contractions ever. They scared me so bad that I almost started panicking thinking that I was really going into labor! I barely had any BH contractions when I was pregnant with Cailyn, so they definitely caught me off guard.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Silly Girl

2011-07-14T21:38:00.002-05:00

Here's a video I took yesterday of our patty-cake playing girl. I just love how interactive she is now and how much she remembers the things we play with her!

Just a couple cute pictures

2011-07-10T16:44:00.004-05:00

Baby on the go!

Smiling big on Gramma's lap

Our little ham

Trying to stand up on her own!

I don't know if you can see those two top teeth very clearly in any of the pictures, but don't let those little stubbies fool you - they HURT when they clamp down on your finger!

A Day at the Beach / The 4th of July

2011-07-04T22:52:00.008-05:00

On Sunday, Derrek had the day off and we decided to get together with his brother Duke and wife Tina and their family and go to the Indiana Dunes! Their daughter, Carli, is about 1 and a half years old, so I was excited to see her and Cailyn together. They absolutely loved each other, and they spent most of the time trying to give each other hugs and kisses!

She would grab Carli's hair and pull her into a hug. She loves snuggling and have the biggest smile on her face as she did it!

It was the perfect weather for a day at the beach although I was not about to get into the cold Lake Michigan water! The Dunes were jam-packed and we had a good mile and a half walk to and from our cars.

Last night, we were so exhausted after our beach trip that we all went right to bed. Derrek had to work today but was home for dinner, so we just ate some hot dogs (very festive), played with Cailyn, and watched our neighbors shoot off some awesome fireworks!

Doesn't she look like a toddler here? I can't believe how big she looks.

I hope you all had a fun and safe July 4th! We have a pretty laid-back week ahead of us. I have a doctor appointment on Wednesday, but I'm sure it will just be a standard check-up! Our little guy is crowding my lungs so I get shortness of breath a lot, causing me to feel really light headed at times. In fact, I am dealing with a crazy case of heartburn right as we speak, just from drinking water! It's insane. I am still in awe of how quickly this pregnancy is flying by!

20 Weeks! Halfway there!

2011-06-30T15:02:00.004-05:00

And I can't believe how BIG I am for only being halfway there. I am a little scared of how big I'll be by the end of the pregnancy!

How Far Along: 20 weeks

Total Weight Gain: ?? It has been fluctuating. I'll gain weight, then lose it, then gain it. Probably 1-2 lbs if I had to guess.

Maternity Clothes: None so far

Stretch Marks: None as of now!

Best Moment this Week: Cailyn standing on her own and just being a silly/happy girl all week! Also, going shopping with my mom and having dinner with a long lost friend.

Movement: I am feeling kicks here and there, especially at my bladder! No wonder I'm going to the bathroom every 2 seconds.

Food Cravings: Nacho cheese, cold foods such as salad and fruit, avocado

Labor Signs: Too early for that yet!

What are You Looking Forward to this Week: 4th of July, seeing family!

I hope everyone has a fun 4th of July weekend if I don't post before then! :)

10 Months Old!

2011-06-29T13:37:00.005-05:00

Let's see what you're up to!

* You are probably around 20 lbs and 28.5 inches long.
* You eat 24 oz of formula a day and 3 meals including snacks. You love spaghetti, toast, and banana oatmeal!
* You officially have 3 teeth - two bottom ones and a top one that popped through this morning! Your second top tooth is about ready to make an appearance.
* You are pulling up, cruising along the furniture, and recently starting standing on your own for about a half minute or so!
* You are clapping and started to wave bye-bye and hi.
* You LOVE to talk! We hear, "Dada", "Mama", "Dede" (Corey's name apparently!), "Baba" and "Yes" or "Yeah!"
* Snuggling is your favorite thing! You love giving hugs and kisses and just being held.
* You still sleep through the night, thank goodness! You go down like clockwork at around 9:30 at night and don't wake up until around 8 the next morning.
* You are wearing mostly 12 month clothing (in both shirts and pants) with 9 month sleepers.
* You recently started dancing to music! You get very hyper and start dancing on the floor until you fall down, get up, smile and do it again! We all laughed at the show you put on for us the other night!

Our little baby is transforming into a toddler right before our eyes! It's hard to believe in 2 short months we will be celebrating her first birthday. I ordered my first item for her birthday - a cute banner to hang up for the party! If you have never heard of Hip2Save, I would recommend checking out their site. They stay on top of the newest coupons and deals, whether they're in-store or online. Through tomorrow, the website SHinDigz is offering a $1 customized 18" x 54" banner with shipping. I bought one for about $8! Check out the deal here.

Shopping Day!

2011-06-26T12:58:00.005-05:00

My mom called me up Friday evening and asked if Cailyn and I wanted to come with her to Lafayette to go shopping. Of course, we said yes! It was a beautiful sunny summer day, and we had SO much fun!

We ate at Applebee's for lunch, and Cailyn was the little entertainer of the restaurant. She smiled at everyone who walked past, giggled and cooed, and even tried giving our waitress a kiss! I can't believe how much of a personality she is getting, and I melt at how loving she is to everyone who gives her a sweet smile.

Toward the end of our shopping trip, Cailyn passed out in her stroller and took a 2.5 hour nap! The girl didn't wake up even when we went into Target and on the way home. I guess she had a hard day's work of being a cute baby!

Oh, and this is SO funny - my mom parked in a non-parking space at the mall. I didn't notice it and neither did she until we came back out 3 hours later! We laughed so hard, and thankfully she didn't get a parking ticket! She blames it on being "old" (mid-forties is NOT old) but I think she just needs a new glasses prescription! :P

And can I just say how completely adorable boys' clothes are?! I saw little button-ups and sweater vests and just wanted to die from all the cuteness! I will have to get him a lot of button-up short-sleeve flannel dress shirts so he can match his daddy. ;)

I ended the day by meeting up with a friend I haven't seen in 3 years, and it was awesome just catching up and laughing as if we never stopped talking. All in all, it was just a perfect day!

19 weeks!

2011-06-23T14:56:00.002-05:00

How am I almost halfway through this pregnancy already?! It's insane!

I look at Cailyn and feel so blessed to be having her little brother in a few short months. My heart just overflows with love for her and my growing family!

How Far Along: 19 weeks

Total Weight Gain: ?? It has been fluctuating. I'll gain weight, then lose it, then gain it. Probably 1-2 lbs if I had to guess.

Maternity Clothes: None so far

Stretch Marks: None as of now!

Best Moment this Week: Well, last week was seeing our sweet boy on the ultrasound and finding out it was going to be a "he"!

Movement: I am feeling kicks here and there, and a couple nights ago I felt my first outside kick! It was amazing!

Food Cravings: Nacho cheese, cold foods such as salad and fruit

Labor Signs: Too early for that yet!

What are You Looking Forward to this Week: Just spending time with my family!

Daddy & Daughter

2011-06-20T11:54:00.001-05:00

Want to see a quick way to make my heart melt into a puddle on the floor?

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-18T23:40:00.007-05:00

Happy Father's Day to a dad who has just shined as a dad all these years. Your hard work to provide for us growing up will never go unnoticed, and the love that you showed us and the laughs that you shared with us are memories to cherish. You are such an amazing Papa and the love you have for Cailyn is so evident. Thank you for always being a rock for our family, thank you for believing in us, and thank you for pushing me to be who I am. I love you with my whole heart daddy!

And to my sweet Dirky, the man whom I am entirely blessed to share my children with: you are the most amazing daddy. The way Cailyn's eyes light up when she sees you and how she crawls full-force toward you when you get off of work just melts my heart. I love watching you shower her with kisses and love because I know these days of cuddling and holding will be over before we know it. I am so excited that we have a little boy to add to our little family, and I can tell you already that you will be his hero. I love you so much sweetheart, and I thank God every day that I have the most amazing man, husband, and father to spend the rest of my life with.

Happy Father's Day to all those dads out there, and to those daddies looking down on their sons and daughters from Heaven. I hope you all have a wonderful day!

We're having a boy!!

2011-06-16T18:54:00.001-05:00

We feel so, so blessed to be meeting our little boy in about 22 short weeks!

Growing up before our eyes

2011-06-13T22:18:00.003-05:00

I can't believe how my baby is not so itty bitty anymore, and looks more and more like a toddler every day.

Her personality is shining through a little more every week and it is such a joy to watch her grow from the infant stage into a toddler. As you can see from the bruise on her head, she is pretty fearless too, which scares me!

We have a fun week ahead of us. I'm mostly looking forward to Thursday, which is our ultrasound. Derrek gets the day off and we get to go see Baby #2 as a family! I am so excited to see that sweet profile again, and to know that he/she is growing healthily and as active as ever. And I wonder: boy or girl? My gut says girl, but we shall see!

Prayer Request

2011-06-08T22:25:00.003-05:00

A friend and fellow blogger, Lindsey, is in need of prayer right now for her sweet daughter Kate. Kate was recently diagnosed with congenital amegakaryocyctic thrombocytopenia, which is a rare type of bone marrow failure. Please pray for quick healing for Kate, strength and peace for Lindsey and her husband, and wisdom as the doctors navigate the treatment plan for this disease.

Feel free to grab the button on Lindsey's blog and stick it on your own! Tell your church, Bible study, prayer warrior friends, everyone to please keep this girl in your prayers. Kate needs God's hand to be on this journey, and there is strength in numbers!

"Where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them." - Matthew 18:20

17 Weeks!

2011-06-07T17:04:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I'm not officially 17 weeks along until Thursday, but I am just in shock at how quickly this pregnancy is flying by. I know I say that a lot, but really, it's just mind blowing! I had a checkup yesterday and everything looks great - and, we made our appointment for our second trimester ultrasound for next Thursday, the 16th! I can't wait to see our little bug on the screen again and hopefully find out if this next baby is a boy or a girl.

So far, so good as far as pregnancy symptoms are concerned. I have a bit of morning sickness, but definitely nothing to complain about. I am so big this time around! I am about as big as I was when I was 22 weeks with Cailyn.

I did one of these surveys during my pregnancy with Cailyn, and it was so neat to see the progression of it all!

How Far Along: 17 weeks

Total Weight Gain: 1 pound

Maternity Clothes: None so far

Stretch Marks: None as of now!

Best Moment this Week: Hearing that tiny heartbeat at my appointment! Cailyn letting go of the couch and standing by herself for a few seconds. It's amazing how big she's getting!

Movement: He/she is scrunched up in the bottom right part of my abdomen, so it's very rare that I feel any movement. I feel it the most when I'm sitting down!

Food Cravings: Nacho cheese, cold foods such as salad and fruit

Labor Signs: Too early for that yet!

What are You Looking Forward to this Week: It's going to be a pretty uneventful week, but it is SO nice outside! Summer is finally here in Indiana, thank goodness!

It's been forever!

2011-06-03T12:15:00.002-05:00

Sorry that I haven't updated in awhile. We had a week of nothing but bad storms so there really wasn't much to report, and Derrek has been working crazy hours and chasing a crawling baby all around the house is exhausting!

The upside to these chaotic couple of weeks is that we've finally been seeing some warmer weather! Cailyn and I have definitely been enjoying it. Also, our sweet girl turned 9 months on the 29th! It is so hard to believe.

Let's see what you're up to Boo Bear!

* You're 19.2 lbs and 28 inches long (you grew an inch and a half in a month!)
* You're crawling and pulling up on everything. You also try standing up by yourself when you're sitting on the floor!
* Your favorite word these days is "Dada". It melts your Daddy's heart too!
* You're wearing mostly 9-12 pants and 12 month shirts.
* You eat 24 oz of formula a day and 3 meals of solids.
* Your favorite food to eat is oatmeal. You love just regular, plain oatmeal (which Mommy thinks is yucky by the way). You also love spaghetti - it's your favorite dinner meal!
* We had to lower your crib mattress last week. It makes us sad to think of how fast you're growing up!
* You love to nap on Mommy these days. You'll sit facing me while I'm on the couch, lean over, and fall asleep on my chest. I treasure these days!
* You LOVE to give kisses. You kiss everything. Usually with an open mouth too! You love to kiss Daddy's nose and snuggle him when he gets home. You are being very lovey lately and we are eating it up!
* You like to mimic the things we do with our hands although you haven't gotten clapping down just yet.

I need to start thinking about what we're doing for her 1st birthday! It's 3 short months away. We're thinking mostly family with a few friends in a backyard cookout! I think that would be so much fun.

Our Weekend

2011-05-22T16:00:00.007-05:00

It feels like forever since I've updated! Now that Cailyn is crawling everywhere - and I mean everywhere (remind me to sweep up the pile of dirt on our floor from when she got into our potted plants) - I feel like all I do all day is chase her around the house! It doesn't help that she pretty much decided not to nap anymore, and she's teething. Her second tooth is about to pop out any day now!

It has been nicer this week, so we decided to take a walk to the park! It was Cailyn's first time on the swings, and she didn't know what to make of it at first. After awhile, she looked like she was having so much fun! She met a new friend at the park too named Gracie, who was with her grandma.

Derrek has been working crazy-long hours, so it was nice when he had a day off today! We went to church this morning and enjoyed the day as a family. She was a little cranky at church, but brightened up once we got home. It was beautiful and sunny, and 85 degrees. It's nice to bust out some summer clothes! We played in the backyard for a little while and watched Daddy mow the grass.

Not long after our little backyard photoshoot did some serious clouds start rolling in! We ended up getting a very intense severe storm which resulted in a branch from our tree demolishing the side of our neighbor's fence. So, that was a lovely little surprise for the day!

I guess I should also write a little something about my pregnancy! So far, so good. I am 14.5 weeks along right now, and I feel huge already! They weren't kidding when they said you show quicker with the second one - who "they" is, I don't know, but they were right!

I can't believe how big I look since a couple weeks ago the scale showed that I actually lost 2 pounds since my first OB appointment. I haven't had any morning sickness which is a huge blessing!

Hope you all have a great week. I'm sure we'll stay busy!

Just a quick pic

2011-05-16T22:38:00.001-05:00

Our little girl doesn't seem so little any more! She is wearing 12 month pants in this picture, and while they are a little long yet, they are definitely fitting her around her tummy.

*sigh*

We are blessed!

2011-05-10T16:52:00.004-05:00

Today, we had our first trimester ultrasound. I was so excited/nervous! More excited since I had already heard the strong 160 bpm heartbeat at my doctor appointment yesterday. Our little bean was everywhere during the ultrasound! He/she was jumping around, flipping over, waving arms and legs. It was just amazing! Here are a few shots we got:

This pregnancy is so much more real now that we saw our little one. I can't believe I'm already almost 13 weeks along! Time sure is flying.

After the ultrasound (and after about 5 trips to the bathroom since I had to drink 32 oz of water), we went for a walk at the fairgrounds! It's beautiful at the Crown Point fairgrounds, and it was a nice 85 degree day. We didn't stay out long because we were so hot by the end of the trails! Cailyn sipped on her water the whole time. She has finally mastered the art of holding a sippy cup!

Tonight, we are grilling out some steaks and veggies and enjoying the sunshine (while it still lasts)! We are supposed to be getting some storms the next couple days, and it felt so good to be able to enjoy the outdoors today.

Oh, the places she sleeps!

2011-05-07T11:31:00.004-05:00

We are very blessed to have a great sleeper. She's been sleeping well since she was 4 weeks old (of course with some rough nights in between), but this girl will fall asleep anywhere! It's so funny to see how she ends up. Just in the past week, we have witnessed some crazy yoga bends and numerous jumperoo naps!

Of course, she's just as funny when she wakes up! Now that she's crawling, she's trying to get into everything. It seems like I'm on the floor more often than not these days! I can't believe how big she's getting, and how much she's losing that "baby" look to her. She's looking more and more like a toddler every day! Her first tooth finally broke through a couple days ago too, and you can kind of see it in the picture of her smiling.

Spring is in full bloom here and our garden is starting to sprout pretty flowers and plants! We have been getting quite a bit of rain here lately, so I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of color by the end of May!

I hope all the moms out there have a wonderful Mother's Day!

We have a crawler!

2011-05-02T16:02:00.001-05:00

Cailyn made it a couple inches forward last night before bedtime, but today she just decided to take off! Here is a video I made, and please excuse my overzealous cheering as I get a little excited about these things. :)

Happy 8 Months Cailyn!

2011-04-29T14:03:00.002-05:00

I can't believe we are just 4 short months away from celebrating your first birthday. Where has the time gone?

Let's see what you're up to!

* You are still eating 2-3 meals a day. You have been introduced to meat and LOVE chicken and ham.
* We have tried finger foods, but you basically like to squish them in your hands and "finger paint" all over your high chair.
* You are probably close to 19 lbs at this point, but you're still our little shorty!
* You have been wearing cloth diapers all day at this point, and only wear disposables when we're out.
* You are SO close to crawling, and scoot to wherever you want to get to!
* You go from all fours to sitting back to all fours.
* You are starting to grab for things to pull up on!
* You are still sleeping through the night. After a couple weeks of multiple wake-ups, you're back to your old self. You're a tummy sleeper now!
* Your favorite place to nap is in your jumperoo!
* You're wearing mostly 9-12, but some 6 month clothing still fits length-wise.
* You are starting to mimic our clapping, sounds, and waving.

You continue to bring so much joy to your daddy and I! You will be such a wonderful big sissy to your little brother/sister. I just can't stop smiling whenever I see you interacting with us!

Tomorrow, I have an ultrasound. Unfortunately, Derrek and I won't get our Date Day because he has to work a double, but my mom is going to go with me. I'm so excited to find out more about our little peanut!

Easter 2011

2011-04-25T11:20:00.006-05:00

We had such a wonderful Easter this year! Although it was overcast outside, we still managed to have such a great time. Saturday night, we went to Derrek's parents' house to celebrate Easter with them. We had pot roast and it was so yummy! I baked a red velvet cake for it too because I have been craving red velvet for awhile now. It was delicious!

Sunday morning, we went to church. Our little country church was absolutely packed! It was awesome to see so many faces there. We headed over to my Uncle Jimmy's to have dinner and celebrate with family.

My little family!

Playing with Papa (my dad)

My mom and I

Sitting on Great Grandma's lap! Let me tell you something about this woman: she is amazing. She has been through so much in her life, ranging from breast cancer to pacreatitis to a major blood clot that threatened her life in 2008. She is just the strongest person I know, and I feel such a connection to my grandparents! Holidays are always so much sweeter because they are there. When she was literally on her death bed in 2008, I sat in ICU holding her hand. She told me that she wanted to dance at my wedding (Derrek and I were going to be getting married the next year). It broke my heart. But, God is so good and not only did she get to dance at my wedding, but she gets to hold my first child in her arms. What a testimony!

Jumping on Mama!

Sleeping on Grandma after a long day!

I was so nervous that Cailyn was going to be fussy the whole time since she seems to have some off-days recently, but she was a perfect angel! She gave everyone smiles and giggles the whole day, and even let our friends hold her the whole time at church. You might have noticed that she has two different dresses on in the pictures - we had a little poopsplosion episode at my Uncle Jimmy's house, so thankfully she had gotten a new dress in one of her Easter baskets!

I hope you all had a blessed Easter. We have a lot to look forward to this coming weekend! I have a first trimester ultrasound scheduled on Saturday, and then Derrek and I are going to have a date night. Cailyn will be staying with my mom, and she has quite the fun day planned. I am so excited to spend some uninterrupted time with my husband!

Happy Good Friday!

2011-04-22T11:26:00.003-05:00

I feel like it has been forever since I've posted. We have had storms and rain pretty much all week here, so it has been a long week in the house! I'm excited for a weekend filled with family and fun (and hopefully a lot of chocolate!) To ring in the Easter celebration, I decided to snap a few pictures of Cailyn in her cute Easter outfit Grandma bought for her! It's 9 months and the pants are still a little long on our short girl, but she doesn't mind - she likes that they're long enough for her to chew on the bunny feet!

Today I am thinking about all that Jesus has done for me on the cross - thank you Lord for your loving grace and giving your Son to die for me!

I have had a handful for a couple days now. Cailyn was unbelievably fussy at the beginning of the week, waking up multiple times a night. I felt like she was just not happy at all. Finally, it subsided the past couple days and she's been sleeping through the night once again. Mama needs her sleep these days so I am so grateful!

We also had a terrible thunderstorm Wednesday night and the power went off for about 9 hours. It was a little scary but also fun to just hang out by candlelight. I was so surprised in the middle of the night to see that it was still off though because usually our power company has it on within an hour or so of calling the outage in. It was finally back on by around 6:30 in the morning. Thankfully our refrigerator and freezer stayed cool!

I hope you all have a fun and safe Easter weekend!

Our first appointment!

2011-04-18T16:21:00.003-05:00

We had such a long, but exciting day today! First, Cailyn had a well baby visit and she weighs 18.9 lbs and is 26.5 inches long. I can't believe my little girl is going to be over 20 lbs soon! Where has the time gone?

Afterward, we went to my OB's office for our first visit! I am 9.5 weeks pregnant so I was anxious to hear or see a heartbeat. I had a routine visit, blood drawn, and then had an ultrasound! We saw that little heartbeat flickering away so strongly!

God has been so faithful to us in so many ways, and I am humbled for this little blessing. I can't even describe how happy and excited I am for this journey as a mother!

And, as a reminder, the cloth diaper giveaway is only open until tomorrow night! Make sure you enter at Lindsey's blog!!

Napping Baby

2011-04-15T10:43:00.003-05:00

Don't you wish you could just fall asleep anywhere like this?

I have been having one heck of a time trying to sleep at night. I have been waking up multiple times. I don't remember the no-sleep thing happening this early in my pregnancy last time, but I wish I could take advantage of Cailyn sleeping through the night and actually sleep myself!

My first baby appointment is on Monday! I will keep you all updated on how it goes. I hope we can hear the heartbeat of our little blessing!

AMP Diaper Review & Giveaway on Lindsey's Blog!!

2011-04-12T21:20:00.003-05:00

When I was asked by Lindsey and Amy to review AMP diapers, I was really excited! As a fairly new CD'er, I am always willing to try out new diapers. When we made the decision to start cloth diapering, some major factors were absorbency, fit, trimness, and convenience. I was sent these two diapers:

AMP Stay-Dry AIO (all-in-one)

AMP Duo Diaper with a bamboo insert

When I received these diapers, the first thing I noticed was how incredibly stretchy they were. Usually, cloth diapers seem to be stiff and hard to manipulate so it fits well, but the elastic at the legs caught my eye!

The AMP AIO diaper was ready to go with one wash and ONE tumble in the dryer (which is amazing for an AIO diaper since the insert is built-in). The AMP duo pocket diaper was ready within one wash and dry, and I washed the bamboo inserts multiple times to achieve the highest absorbency. Finally, I was ready to try these out on my little guinea pig!

I started with the AIO because I was really excited to try out a cloth diaper that is basically as convenient as a disposable diaper.

As you can see, it has an incredibly trim appearance. Also, the velcro closure gave us a very snug fit around her tummy!

I put her on her tummy so she could scoot around a little. Usually, with some brands of cloth diapers, I have noticed that when Cailyn moves around, the diaper bunches up and she leaks out her legs. After about an hour of playtime, the diaper was like I had just put it on.

It stayed leak-free for 2 1/2 hours (that's usually the amount of time I go between changing diapers). I also can't believe how incredibly trim it was - usually I put Cailyn in a disposable when we go out because cloth diapers can get so bulky. This one was as trim as a disposable and the fact that everything is built-in was so convenient.

Next, I tried the AMP Duo Diaper with bamboo insert. Most of my cloth diaper collection is made up of pocket diapers and they can be tricky at times. Between stuffing an insert and making sure it doesn't bunch up after a length of time, pocket CD's can be very challenging. Also, Cailyn tends to leak out of the legs of pocket diapers since the insert can create bulkiness in the bottom of the diaper, pulling the elastic away from her legs.

The fleece lining of the AMP Duo Diaper was super soft to the touch. Also, as soon as I put it on, I noticed how snug the leg holes were to her legs, even with the bamboo insert stuffed in! It seems like the leg holes or more ruched than other cloth diapers, so that may be why they fit so much better.

I let her play with it on, and this one stayed leak-free for 2.5 hours as well. I thought it was too good to be true for a pocket diaper!

Although I have never heard of AMP diapers before this review, I have to say they are incredibly underrated. All-in-all, they worked well absorbency-wise, were very trim, convenient, and fit her legs perfectly. If you are looking for a new brand of CD's or are about to give up on pocket diapers because of the awkward fit some of them have, I would definitely recommend trying AMP diapers!

The Giveaway:
Two lucky readers will be able to win the AMP diaper of their choice!! To enter, see details on Lindsey's blog!!

Please do not comment any giveaway entries on my blog - they all have to be on Lindsey's! Thanks!

Good luck! :)

A Beautiful Spring Day!

2011-04-11T15:15:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was the first really nice spring day here - and it felt like summer! It got up to 85 degrees yesterday. Talk about a shock going from freezing temperatures to this extreme!

Went went out to Derrek's parents' house, and they own 40 acres. It's so much fun during the summer because there is so much space. I'm sure Cailyn will have a lot of fun in the future running around out there. I thought her outfit was only appropriate for a trip out to the "farm"!

Cailyn and that teething ring have been BFF's lately. Her gums are so swollen, so I hope something pops up soon! To help with teething, I have been giving her frozen fruit in her Munchkin feeder that I ordered off Amazon:

It's great because she can chew on fruits and veggies without me worrying about the choking hazard!

Still Alive!

2011-04-07T18:36:00.002-05:00

Just giving a quick update to let you all know that we're still alive over here - it's been pretty boring lately with all the rain. The good news is that the temperatures are starting to warm up, so when the rain goes away hopefully we'll get plenty of outdoors fun in!

As you can see, Cailyn has been spending her days playing hard and napping hard.

This next week will be exciting - I'm in the process of reviewing a couple of cloth diapers, and once I'm finished there will be a giveaway on Lindsey's blog!! So stay tuned. :)

The One About My Dog Corey

2011-04-03T22:13:00.005-05:00

I don't talk about our dog Corey nearly enough on here! She was a Border Collie rescue dog that was just too cute to pass up on the Internet one day. So spontaneous 18 year old me took a drive to Delphi to see her at her foster family's house. She was so rambunctious and active, I just couldn't pass this sweet girl up! Here is the original picture on the website I saw:

She was 7 months old at the time. Little did I know what I was bringing home - have you ever read Marley and Me? Yeah, she was "Marley". I love that book so much because I swear Marley and Corey are kindred spirits.

So after a couple long months of potty-training, tattered pillows and chairs, and a hole that she clawed through the door, I had to go off to college an hour and a half away. My parents fell in love with Corey, so they lovingly took her in as their own furbaby!

Corey loves to run like the wind, eat peanut butter, squirrel-hunt, and being loved on. She had some severe anxiety issues when I first took her in because she was obviously abused and left for dead. I can honestly say she is loved on more than ever in our household! She is even the object of Cailyn's affections right now - every time Corey walks in the room, it doesn't matter how engaged Cailyn was in something. She turns her head to see what the doggy is up to!

Border Collies shed a lot, so I'm constantly vacuuming our house or seeing little fur balls roll on by on our hardwood floors. Especially at this time of year as she's shedding her second coat, it's crazy to try to keep up with it all!

We love Corey! She's 5 years old now and it's so hard to believe. She is such an important member of our family and brings us so much joy (and laughter)!

Eating Like a Big Girl (Kind Of)

2011-03-30T17:37:00.008-05:00

We tried table food today! Cailyn has been eating strictly purees, and I figured it would be a good idea to start introducing some actual substance so she can experience different textures and chewing. She loves sweet potatoes, so I baked one and cut half of it into little easy-to-grab pieces. Here's pretty much how it went (please don't mind her red right eye, it was irritated today for some reason):

I turned my back for two seconds to grab my camera, and she already had a piece in her hand and some smeared on her face!

"What the heck is this?"

"So this is what people food is all about? No thanks!"

"What is that Corey? You want the rest? Okay, here you go."

Let's try this again...

"Nah, I think I'll just smear it all over my high chair instead."

Honestly, I think the hardest part about this finger food is cleaning the high chair afterward! I must have spent 20 minutes just scrubbing/trying to get in the little cracks. She did pretty well for the first time I think! She did get some in her mouth but most ended up in all squished up in her hand or on the floor.

Happy 7 Months!

2011-03-29T18:23:00.004-05:00

How did we get all the way to 7 months, sweet girl?

You are:
*On all fours, rocking back and forth. You scoot backward.
*Talking all. the. time. Just babbling/cooing on and on like you have something to say!
*Eating solids 3 times a day - oatmeal and fruit puree in the morning, lunch which is usually squash or sweet potatoes, and oatmeal at night!
*Wearing some 6-9 but mostly 9-12/12 month clothes.
*Just as sweet as can be, smiling at whomever gives you a smile!
*Laughing whenever we tickle your tummy or armpits (especially when Daddy does!)
*Still sleeping through the night, from around 9 pm until 8 the next morning!
*Obsessed with our dog, Corey! You want to know what she's doing at all times, and I have a feeling you're going to try to ride her in the future. (By the way, she is terrified of you!)
*Teething! Your little tooth is barely poking through your gums, but Mommy is anxious for it to come all the way through!
*Wearing cloth diapers most of the time, but wear disposables when we go out.

Happy 7 months to our little blessing - I can't believe we are that much closer to your first birthday!

Baby's Day Out

2011-03-27T18:48:00.007-05:00

With the weather taking a turn for the worse, I have been going stir crazy in the house this past week and decided that on Sunday, after church, we would finally take Cailyn to the mall. We had avoided it before because of flu season (and let's face it, this girl is a germaphobe), but my mom and I took Cailyn out to a mall a couple weekends ago and it went well. I was excited! I love the mall, and most importantly, the exercise! I miss long walks during spring/summer and look forward to them so much!

I snapped some pictures of Cailyn in the early morning sun. Sorry some of them came out so dark! She looked so pretty in her lavender striped dress and white tights!

We had a great time at church worshiping the Lord. The message must have been pretty boring though, because I decided to take numerous failed attempts of a family picture with my cell phone (hehe, just kidding Pastor, you know I love you!)

Cailyn has been OBSESSED with my cell phone and other things with buttons (the remote, laptop, etc.) Here she is giving it the stare down as it's in my hand:

And here are my failed family pictures! I just laughed every time I looked at it after I snapped them on my phone:

After church, we headed to the mall and decided to take Cailyn into the Disney Store. I remember LOVING the Disney Store as a kid, and just cherishing my giant Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse stuffed animals (seriously, these things were as big as me!) We took some cute pictures of Cail in awe of all the Disney cuteness!

One of the Disney Store employees saw that we were taking a few pictures, and she got really excited because she has an 8 month old. She set up a couple of the giant stuffed animals for a mini-photoshoot on one of the shelves!

We had such a great time getting out of the house and window shopping some cute spring and summer clothes!

We're Expecting #2!!

2011-03-25T13:25:00.003-05:00

I wanted to wait until I was at least 12 weeks along to announce it, but apparently my husband is way too excited for all this waiting business. We found out a couple days ago that we're expecting Baby #2 in November!

We were so surprised, but excited, to find out Cailyn will be a big sister in 8 short months!

I'll have a doctor appointment in a couple weeks, so we'll know more then. Until then, please pray for us to have peace and rest in this waiting period!

Always On the Move

2011-03-24T15:27:00.005-05:00

I have been having such a hard time capturing any good pictures of Cailyn lately because she's always moving! If she's on the floor, she scooting/rolling around; if she's on her back, she's back on her stomach; if she's sitting down, she's on the ground in 2 seconds; if she's looking at me, by the time the picture is snapped, she's looking at our dog Corey.

So, I thought it would be a good idea to snap some cute pictures of her since the weather was nice and she was in a summer outfit. Here is what I came up with:

"What are you doing, Daddy?"

"I furrow my eyebrows at all your picture attempts!"

Dirty looks...

"Haha! Check it out, half my head is out of the frame!"

This whole thing was apparently hilarious.

*flexes muscles* "Nothing to see here, folks. Nothing to see here."

Well, I guess I'll just have to learn how to keep up with this little one. Right now she is kicking me in the arm with both legs (she's laying next to me on the couch), so I'd better wrap it up!

Tummy Time?

2011-03-22T22:36:00.004-05:00

Just a daily dose of cuteness - here's Cailyn defying the laws of Rock n' Plays. I definitely need to start strapping her in!

Spring Cleaning

2011-03-20T18:31:00.003-05:00

Today is the first official day of spring, and it looks like it's coming full force here! Tonight they're calling for storms (spring/summer storms are my favorite) and tomorrow it's supposed to be a sunny 70 degree day. I'm looking forward to tackling the cleaning around the house. I made a list, and I really hope I stick to it tomorrow! It can be hard while taking care of a baby full-time, but Cailyn is such low maintenance most of the time that she is just happy in her jumperoo while I get some things accomplished!

I'm pretty excited about cleaning because I am a clean-freak! I am the nerd who loves cleaning supplies and browsing them at the store. I'm so excited for my whole house to smell like:

Mr. Clean with Febreeze! This is the yummiest smelling soap!

Mop n' Glo. It makes our hardwood floors so shiny and smells so good!

Yesterday, my mom and I went to Lafayette to look at convertible car seats. Cailyn is getting to be such a big girl now, and I would feel more comfortable with something bigger. I got some ideas while we were out, but didn't purchase anything. I found the perfect car seat on Amazon! I'm going to go with the Britax Roundabout in Smokey Pearl.

This Past Week

2011-03-18T14:07:00.004-05:00

I have a couple minutes before feeding Cailyn and I haven't updated in awhile, so I figured I'd put up a random post!

It has been such a huge adjustment not having Derrek home during the day with us. I have been trying to keep busy doing things with Cailyn around here. We started cloth diapering at the beginning of the week. So far, so good! We had a few leaking problems, but I think it's because I didn't adjust the leg holes well enough. I am loving all the cute colors and designs, and it's definitely helping with the cost of diapers. I don't know if we'll just do it part-time or full-time yet!

Also, Cailyn's Leapfrog My Pal Violet arrives a couple days ago! She is so cute, and says Cailyn's name and everything. Very, very cool! Cail thought she would snuggle with her during a nap!

Our big girl is outgrowing her infant car seat (well, maybe not technically but to me she looks too big!) It only goes up to 22 lbs anyways and she is probably pushing 18-19 lbs by now, so my mom and I are going out tomorrow to browse the selection of convertible car seats!

Happy 2 Year Anniversary!

2011-03-14T06:13:00.014-05:00

To my wonderful husband Derrek, who is not only my best friend (cliche, but so true), but my laughing partner, my shoulder to cry on, my accountability partner, my rock, my inspiration to know more of God. Thank you for being my oasis during hard times, for being a comfort to me. Thank you for having grace with me when I'm out of line. Thank you for being such a blessing to me when I feel so far away from God. Thank you for sharing my joy during the exciting times in life. Thank you for understanding my quirks but loving me anyway. Thank you for my belief that we have a soul mate out there for us. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I can't wait to have so many more years with you my love. Until then, we have had such an amazing 2 years of marriage.

I remember Turkey Run, our first date.

I remember long road trips to Michigan without a care in the world.

I remember living 150 miles away from you while I went to ISU when we first started dating, coming home every weekend, hanging out with you until the last possible second Sunday night, and leaving bright and early Monday morning so I could make it back in time for my 8 AM class (and my phys ed instructor being awesome when I'd walk in late because she knew why I was!) I remember how sad we would be on Sunday's, knowing we would have to wait another long week to see each other again!

I remember a summer filled with friends' weddings, road trips, and beach bumming.

I remember you proposing, and how much fun we had planning our wedding for over 300 guests...

...that ended up being cut down to 70 and it was perfect.

I remember our honeymoon in Tennessee, and how much we have wanted to move there ever since. We will move there someday.

I remember a crazy adventurous first year of marriage, with so many acts of God within it that we were just blown away by His sovereignty!

I remember finding out I was pregnant a couple months before our first wedding anniversary, and how scared of the unknown we were.

I remember meeting our little girl for the first time, and us just staring at her with awe and wonder, knowing she was sent to us from God.

And now, with our lives together just starting, we have so much in the future, so many more good times. I love you and always will!

P.S. We will be seeing this again someday, don't worry. Life won't ever get too crazy for Lake Michigan sunsets.

A Little Bit of Everything

2011-03-13T11:08:00.008-05:00

The weather was beautiful on Friday, so we decided to spend some time outside. Cailyn didn't know what to make of the breeze, and she could barely keep her little eyes open! We went in after about 15 minutes - I think she had enough of the wind!

We came inside where I was sure she was going to start crawling. She was being so silly, just rocking back and forth and shaking her legs. We have been putting a toy in front of her, and it's so funny to see her try to reach for it!

Yes, her hair is getting crazy! I'm actually considering giving it a trim. There are little wisps going over her ears, her bangs are almost over her eyes, and she has strands of long hair in the back.

I have been summer clothes shopping for our little chunker! I am buying some 9 month and some 12 month clothes for her (it just depends on the brand). I can't believe it! Her 6 month sleepers are snug now, so I will have to get some new PJ's for this girl too!

Derrek and I are celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary on Monday. I can't believe it has been two years since I've walked down the aisle. So much has happened since we have been together, and I'm excited to see what other surprises and events God has in store for us!

We made an ah-mazing dinner last night of pan-fried chicken breasts to celebrate (with Derrek's concoction of breading!), with homemade mashed postatoes, peas, and salad. Oh it was yummy! Please don't mind the cell phone picture, but I think it looks delicious even with bad resolution!

For dessert, we cuddled up on the couch and watched a movie while enjoying our brownie in a mug with some vanilla ice cream on top. It is so rich and yummy!

Here is the recipe!

Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 dash salt
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 4 tbsp flour

Directions:
1.) Add water, butter, vanilla, and salt to a mug. Whisk.
2.) Add cocoa - whisk. Add sugar - whisk. Add flour - whisk.
3.) Microwave 60 - 90 seconds on high (our microwave takes about 85 seconds).
4.) Let cool for a couple minutes. We top ours with vanilla ice cream!

Simple, huh? I am certain this has singlehandedly contributed to me not being able to button my pre-pregnancy jeans!

Cloth Diapering

2011-03-09T22:26:00.005-06:00

I ordered a couple cloth diapers from Bippy Diapers this morning to start my stash! I did all pockets, as I heard they are cheap and convenient. I have a feeling I'm going to love cloth!

This is what I bought:

Fuzzibunz in Apple Green

Fuzzibunz in Kumquat

Happy Heiny's Pink Hibiscus

BumGenius Blossom

I am incredibly excited to start cloth diapering, and I really hope it is the perfect fit for us (although I'm sure it will be)! A lot of people have been asking me why I've decided to start with cloth. When I imagined cloth before, all I could visualize was this white prefold (the same ones I use as burp cloths) safety pinned around the child - just a huge, bulky mess. Little did I know that cloth diapering has come a long way in the past couple of years! There are some super cute designs out there, as well as many options from prefolds + diaper covers, pocket diaper in which inserts are stuffed, All-in-One's, etc. I definitely had to educate myself as well as ask many questions to other CD'ers about all of the different types and which ones were preferable!

Like I said, I decided to go with pockets and inserts. I think we'll start off slowly and gradually work into CD'ing full time. I'm nervous about the possibility of CD'ing outside the house, but I might even try that too (thank goodness for wet bags!) I can't wait for them to come in and I'll definitely be posting pictures of our sweet girl with her new fluffy butt!

On a random note, this morning I was having a cup of coffee and let Cailyn play on on the floor because she was happy and hyper. She got up on all fours and I swear she was about to start crawling! I hurried up and grabbed my camera. She seemed very pleased with herself. I just know she is going to take off soon!

Randomness

2011-03-08T17:48:00.008-06:00

It was in the low 50's today, so we decided to take a family walk!

Cailyn looked pretty cozy.

My sweetheart and I.

It's hard work being pushed in a stroller!

On a different note, look who decided to sit up while playing with her toys last night! Sorry for the blurry cell phone picture.

This is a big milestone because she absolutely refused to sit up by herself before!

Spring, are you there?

2011-03-06T21:55:00.006-06:00

The snow is melting and the first hints of Spring are in the air! The sun is shining, buds are on the trees, and my sleeping garden will be in full bloom once again!

As you can see, Corey is pretty excited about warmer weather being just around the corner!

Here is what our backyard looks like during Spring and Summertime:

I can't wait to see green, yellow, purple, and pink again and to have pretty flower arrangements all around the house. And I can't wait for Cailyn to be able to enjoy it this year too!

6 Months Old!

2011-03-01T16:17:00.004-06:00

I can't believe it is Cailyn's half birthday today! We are just in a perpetual state of shock that she is growing up so fast. I guess that is what everybody always warns you about when you are pregnant - cherish these times because they go quickly!

Here's what she's been up to (we have her 6 month appointment tomorrow, so we don't know exact stats yet!):

*You are probably 26 inches and over 17 pounds if I had to guess!
*You roll in both directions, but you mostly like rolling from your back to tummy.
*You are pushing up on all fours and rocking - I think you are about reading to take off pretty soon!
*You eat oatmeal with fruit puree in the morning and at night. We tried lunch yesterday (avocados) and needless to say, you did not like it at all. We'll try something else soon!
*Your hair is growing at an amazing rate! It is getting to the point to where we may need a trim pretty soon.
*You are still sleeping through the night thank goodness!
*You are wearing mostly 6-12 clothes and some 12 month shirts
*You babble and coo a lot, and you love mimicking sounds that we make
*You love to smile a lot and giggle!
*You reach out to touch things and love feeling textures
*Your hair is turning blonder every month, and your eyes are a beautiful blue-gray color

We are so, so blessed to have this little girl as part of our family. I feel like she was always here!

Fun Weekend!

2011-02-28T10:29:00.006-06:00

We started off this weekend by running some errands. I am getting so tired of buying diapers every 1.5 - 2 weeks and getting less and less diapers in a box (we're up to a Size 3 now, and it's ridiculous how quickly we go through them!) We have decided to cloth diaper, so once I gain another couple of gift cards through Swagbucks, we are going to order some off of Amazon! It's expensive to start out, but you make up the expense in a couple months worth of disposables. I'm so excited for this change - and since I'm a stay-at-home mom, it will be a cinch to do. When we go out, we'll have some disposables on hand, but we'll be saving so much money a month on diapers! Look at some of this cuteness!

Yesterday, we went to church and then headed to our friends, Brandy and Brandon's house. We just love them and their kids - they are some of the cutest kids I have ever seen in my life! They have a newborn, Briellah, so it was so much fun to see how big Cailyn was compared to her. We went over to The Gathering Place for parenting and marriage classes. We learned a lot and it was nice to discuss concerns and questions we have!

My hunny and I - look at those bangs!

Cute little Amayah.

Briellah and Cailyn - how is our little girl so BIG?

I can't believe our little sweetie is going to be 6 months old tomorrow. Where has the time gone? Hope you all had a great weekend!

Random Cuteness

2011-02-25T22:33:00.005-06:00

Here's our cutie doing some tummy time on Daddy! (Look at her "Popeye" arms!)

Do you see those bangs? They're everywhere! I keep side-sweeping them but they're getting very difficult to tame!!

After a fun week with family and friends, I feel incredibly blessed to have all these people in my life. My friends Brandy, Misty, and I are going to start a Mommy & Me group this summer for the stay-at-home moms in our area. I think it will be a great way to have some adult interaction and allow our kids to make friends too! I am so excited as this will be a great distraction from missing Derrek while he works all the time.

I can't believe our little girl will be 6 months old in four days! Is it bad that I've already been looking at decorations, cakes, and invitations for her first birthday party? ;)

Jumperoo: Not Just For Jumping Anymore

2011-02-23T00:15:00.006-06:00

Cailyn absolutely loves her jumperoo, but lately she has been jumping to the point that she just passes out in it. You always know when she is getting tired because the music slows down or stops (we always put it on the setting in which it only plays whenever she's jumping/playing with the toys on it). We'll look over and sure enough, she's out cold! I thought I'd share a video we took the other night of her. It's so funny because she'll fall asleep and then jump back up like she's ready to party! Sorry the video is so dark but it was nighttime and we had only one light on in the living room.

Enjoying the Warmer Weather

2011-02-20T19:57:00.004-06:00

We got out yesterday and headed to a nature park about 10 minutes away from our house. We had a lot of fun getting some fresh air! We are soaking up these warmer days before we get blasted with freezing temperatures again.

A Little Bit of Everything!

2011-02-17T16:25:00.008-06:00

We have been enjoying some of the warmer weather over here lately! I can't believe it's been in the 50's outside...today, it even got up to 65! Too bad it is rainy today or else we would have went for a long walk! There is still some snow on the ground, but the warmth has definitely turned Indiana into a sloppy melting mess.

Cailyn has been just growing like a weed. I measured her with a tape measure (her 6 month appointment won't be until the end of the month), but I think she has grown 2 inches since her 4 month appointment! I can always tell she is growing by how she feels in my arms whenever I feed her. I can't believe she used to be so teeny tiny!

She has also been making us laugh so hard lately. I think she knows when she's being funny because she'll keep doing something over and over again. She has started flipping from her back to her stomach consistently, so whenever I flip her onto her back, she goes right for her stomach. We have little "flip fights" and she just smiles so big the whole time!

Whether she's giving me a dirty look...

trying to stretch backwards while I am feeding her....

giving the death stare to her rubber ducky...

or trying to drink out of the cup I use during her baths...

We seem to be doing nothing but laugh at this girl's shenanigans these days!

And how cute are these skinny jeans? I don't usually like putting Cailyn in jeans but they are just too adorable to pass up!

She has also been majorly teething. There are little ridges above the surface of her gum and I'm just waiting for it to poke through. Please, please poke through soon! She gets so fussy when it's bothering her. That's where Baby Orajel and her teething toys come in to play!

Derrek is going in for safety training tomorrow, so that means he will be starting back up for the busy season soon. I sure am going to miss him this summer, but I feel so blessed that we had such a great winter together! I have a lot of fun things planned for the spring/summer for Cailyn and I while Derrek is gone to keep us busy! I don't want to dwell on how much I miss that guy all the time.

On a more random note, I am going to share something personal from my Christian walk right now, not because I want validation but because I hope my feelings/thoughts will bless others. I am feeling a tad bit guilty about putting God on the backburner these past 6 months. When I first had Cailyn, it was just pure madness in my mind (looking back on it now, it really wasn't that bad). I had super bad anxiety and felt like a madwoman running around aimlessly. Now that things have calmed down quite a bit, I am trying to think of how many times I went to God about how I was feeling. How many times did I refer to Scripture for comfort? Prayed even? Thinking of that really makes me feel guilty that I didn't turn to Him for my peace - He does all He can to let us know that the weight of the world is not on our shoulders, yet we continue carrying the burden of it. That's exactly what I did. I want more of Him, I want to have His peace in all things. I know being a Christian is part discipline; it takes discipline to open the Bible sometimes because there are things in it that I just don't fully understand. I want faith like Abraham. I want to read the Bible more because I want to, not because I feel like I have to. I just want that desire - I'm so tired of being a lukewarm Christian!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

2011-02-14T16:46:00.002-06:00

I know it's a little late in the day, but Happy Valentine's Day from my family to yours!