updates

Well its been quite awhile since the last time I got to make a blog entry. Seems like each time I would be ready to post something would come up and I would never get time to make a post so this one will be a misc post updating on things that have been going on.

Nathan and Blake had their checkups and shots yesterday and yes yesterday was not a good day to have to drive to Jeff City and be at the appt at 8am but we made it there and back even with the cruddy road conditions. Nathan is grown right on track for his age and weighs 15 pounds  and Blake is right on track and actually taller than average for his age. Both cried when they got the shots but only for a moment which I was thankful for because I heard one baby crying for like 20 min while we were waiting.

This past Saturday we took Blake to see Monster Jam in St. Louis and he had fun and loved it, he has always liked monster trucks and him and his April would watch the Meteor cartoon that was all about monster trucks and he even watched a few Monster Jam's on TV at her house. I am very thankful that her parents watched Nathan while we took Blake if it wasnt for them we couldn't go and do things like that with Blake.

We have been thinking about how we want our house to look and have a good idea just need to put it on paper and then get an estimate on building materials so we can go talk to the bank. I really would love for Blake to start kindergarten in the fall and I know he is ready. Just seems like its so close and that we have so much to do to get started on a house makes me stress.

Daycare well as of Jan 1 we found a lady who was starting a daycare in her home and it felt like a great fit for our kids even though it meant driving an extra 50 miles a day to take them there. Monday night she told us that she was returning to work and that her mom was willing to take over all of the kids she watches. I was glad that she just didnt leave me hanging rushing to find a new place, but I know that her mom probably wont want to do this long term. So I have started the search for a new sitter hopefuly around the St. James area since that is where Blake will attend school and it will make it easier for them to both be at the same location instead of having Nathan in Rolla and Blake in St. James.

Fitness well I do have good news on that I am down a couple pounds and one inch since last week which makes me happy that my efforts of exercise and my food choices are paying off. I know that if I can get better at saying no to junk that the scale will continue to be friendly to me. And after week one of really trying hard to watch what I eat it got easier to make good choices. Yes soda still tempts me daily and the lack of caffiene and sugar has left me with a massive headache but I know its worth it to become healthier for me and my family.

I really need to find a way to vent stress and frustrations because I let it build up until I explode and that is not good but in my 26 years of existence I have never found an alternative but I can keep trying to manage stress to make things easier.

A couple weeks ago my step grandpa (the first big snow we got on a Friday) decided he needed to attend an auction in Rolla he is 90 and lives in Vienna and should not have been driving around in a snow storm but he is stubborn and went. Well my mom called and asked us to look for his truck on our way to pick up the kids and not long after my friend called and said they found his truck parked in Rolla with his small dogs in it. Which anyone who knows the man he goes no where with out his dogs and always leaves them in the truck. So she called and found that he was at the auction and I called my mom and they had two of his sons go and get him. All I can say is I hope that when I am 90 I am able to drive and go where I please with out a care like he does. He does look 90 but he has a great memory and always has interesting stories to tell about times long ago, and so far has done good driving other than driving super slow so he dont miss anything.

I hope to have more time to do more blogs soon!

Weight

I had a doctors appointment last Thursday for the yearly check up with my OB/GYN and well I knew I didnt want to see the number on the scale and oh boy was right. It was a number I had only seen while pregnant, it depressed me the remainder of the day. So I decided that that number had to change and I never want to see it again. Saturday Nathan wasnt content with just sitting in the swing, bouncy seat or jumparoo and I really wanted to use the treadmill. So I strapped the carrier thing on and stuck him in it and walked on the treadmill, he actually loved it and laughed the whole time. I am not sure what he weighs but I know it was hard walking with him strapped to me.
I decided to forgo the junk food and limit the caffiene and its amazing how good you feel after one day of not eating crappy foods. I was shocked at the energy I had last night, I cooked dinner did laundry and then walked on the treadmill and at 11pm I was still full of energy. So hopefully by eating healthy I can continue to have more energy to counter act the severe lack of sleep.
I had set a goal of losing at least 15 pounds by end of March, or be two sizes smaller than I currently am. I haven't seen any results of my hard work reflect on the scale yet but it is only Tuesday so I have to hold strong and continue on and see what the scale says next Monday. Ha who am I kidding I weigh each time I use the bathroom! Even at work we have a scale in the bathroom and I weigh each time, yeah I know its not good but I like knowing exactly where I am at all thru the day.

So next week I will check back with my progress!

Nathan

Yesterday Nathan was 4 months old. And last year on that same date is when I took a home pregnancy test to find out that I was pregnant. At times it doesnt seem like a year has already passed.

Over the weekend Nathan mastered rolling over from back to stomach and then back over and he tries so hard to sit up from laying down and gets almost all the way up. I cant believe that in the past couple weeks that he has grown and learned so much.

He still only sleeps for about 2 hours between feedings every night so I still do not get 6 hours of sleep a night more like 3, I keep thinking that some night he will sleep a bit longer then I worry I am doing something wrong because he never logs more than 8 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. I know babies are supposed to sleep a lot more than that. My body seems to be getting used to the lack of sleep or maybe its from just going non stop never letting myself stop for to long in fear of exhaustion setting in.

I will try and post some new pictues of the boys soon.

Growing boys

Blake is growing up so fast! He went to his first movie at a theatre on Saturday with Connie, April, Zach and Desmon and he enjoyed it and thought it was a really really big tv. He is a lot smarter than I realize and quickly catches on to things that I wouldn't expect him to. Just in the past week he knows that before bed he has to brush his teeth and he does it himself (we then double check) and then of a morning after getting dressed he goes in and brushes his teeth, we used to have to drag him in there or constantly ask him to go brush them. He is starting to know the difference in junk food and real food and requests real food over junk which thrills me to no end. And he will sit with us while we watch Biggest Loser and during commercial breaks he tries to exercise just like them it is so cute to watch. He is becoming more independent and turning from toddler to soon being in Kindergarten. Its crazy how fast time can fly.

Nathan is also growing super fast, he is already rolling over and can grab toys when he sees them and kick at toys on his play gym. And I am not so sure that he isn't starting to cut some teeth he chews constantly on his hands, blankets, bottles anything he can get to his mouth. Blake got his first tooth New Years Day which would have made him 4.5 months old and Nathan will be 4 months old on the 25th. Nathan has been trying to sit up for quite sometime and loves to sit in his bumbo seat and to sit on your lap and if he is laying on your arm you can feel him trying to sit all the way up. I am not sad to pack the baby clothes away and all the 4oz bottles but it is a bit sad at how fast he is growing and learning new things.

Its fun and amazing to watch them both grow and change and Blake loves being a big brother and makes sure to kiss and hug Nathan before bed and first thing of a morning and a hundred times in between. I think they will grow up and be great friends and I know there will be disagreements between them but they will always have each other throughout their lives. Blake is now to the stage where he dont want to stay the night somewhere unless Nathan can stay too which is sweet and shows me that he really cares about and loves Nathan.

Baby food already???

Last week I gave Nathan baby cereal for the first time ever and he liked it. But I only did it a few times as it seemed to give him a tummy ache. But over the past week he has been eating more ounces and more frequently getting me up every two hours to eat and he was like that day and night. He had been sleeping at least 3-5 hours between a feeding then eat and sleep 2 more hours before wanting to be wide awake at 4am!
So yesterday at walmart I bought stage one baby foods and tried him on sweet potatoes last night and he loved it and ate quite a bit, I made him stop for fear of giving him a tummy ache. Then he ate about 6 oz between then and bed time and slept from 9pm until 2:30 which is the longest stretch in over a week. Maybe formula just isn't fulfilling him like it used to and he is now ready for food. I know that some time he will sleep thru the night or for at least 6-7 hours straight. I could sure use more than 2-3 hours be up for an hour then another 2-3 then start my day.

Finding me time

It often seems as there are never enough hours in the day to get my daily routine done and still find the time for me to workout, take a relaxing bath etc. I need to make "me" time a priority but just cant seem to make it happen without feeling guilty that I am neglecting someone or something (even though I know that others won't feel that way) But I need to put myself first so that I can be healthy so I can show my family healthy ways to live and to not be depressed and unhappy like I was as a child.

Today I was searching online for running programs for beginners and came across one from runners world and its an 8 week program and at the end of the 8 weeks you are supposed to be able to run 2 miles in 30 minutes. My thought is having a plan of what to do daily on the treadmill may help motivate me and keep me going as opposed to just making up my workout as I go. I know that once I start and find a routine that works it will be fine and I wont have the guilty feeling its just getting there.

Last night after the kids went to bed I had the house to myself so I sat down and watched a tv show that I enjoy and just enjoyed the peace and quiet, I would have used the treadmill had it not been after 10pm. I had all the laundry and dishes done and the toys picked up so I didn't feel guilty about just watching tv, so I am not sure why I have the guilty feeling when I workout???

The New Year

Well its once again January and the start of a whole new year. I have so much that I want to accomplish this year. Top of the list is losing at least 40+ pounds I have all the tools and the knowledge just need to put it to use and achieve my goal.
I want to get better at going to church more regularly the kids and I have been going off and on since Thanksgiving but at times its super hard handling both kids by myself but Blake is getting used to it and I bring him crayons and a coloring book and some trucks to play with which keeps him pretty busy for the hour and fifteen minutes.

Thursday night friends of ours watched the boys all night Blake was excited to have Nathan with him for a sleep over and its the third time Nathan has stayed overnight some where and the first time with some one other than grandparents. But Connie and Dwayne should be considered grandparents they spoil them while they are there and Blake loves going over there and spending time and I am sure Natahn loved it too.

Kenny and I went out Thursday night and had a real good time with friends and we stayed way past midnight but it was well worth it. We saw several friends we dont see real often and there was a decent band. It was odd not having to get up every two to three hours and actually being able to sleep for 5 hours straight uninterrupted.