This year is going by so quickly!! As I write this, I am in Michigan, and I am seeing my first snow of the winter! It really does make a nice, warm feeling in my tummy. Wish my husband was still here so we could enjoy it together. But he is home in Longview working hard to make a living...he does such a great job. :) I decided to stay a few extra days so that Ellie could spend a bit more time with her Nana and Papa. We saw SO much family last week for Thanksgiving. It was really great. Taylor hasn't actually been in his parents' home in over a year. It was really great for him to be here. We saw pretty much everyone! This week has been much quieter because everyone has gone off to school or to home again. It has been also a very difficult time because Taylor's grandmother is recovering from a stroke that happened about two weeks ago. It is really hard to discern where she is at mentally.... It is hard to think that death is part of life. In church a couple of weeks ago, we were talking about one reason why we are alive is to die. I know where I am going, but it is still kinda scares me. It is hard to know how to pray for her... I just pray God is giving her peace of mind and speaking love to her heart in a way she understands.
Ellie is doing great! She is officially walking on her own, as of November 22!! She is eating everything! She had the cranberry, the turkey, the taters, the PIE! She just gobbled, gobbled, gobbled! It is getting harder and harder for me with all of her energy and ability to move. The constant getting up, getting down is really taking a toll on me, and I am aching a lot. Gemma is moving quite a bit, and I get a lot of back pressure. I am thankful that she is moving and growing, but I am getting uncomfortable.
Other than that, we are just counting down the days until new baby gets here, just about 8 weeks and 4 days until the due date. I think I will be early, but obviously, it is all unknown!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Walking and "Talking"
My girl is growing up so fast! This is just more for me so that I can kinda remember when she started standing and "talking." Last week, I believe Wednesday? which was October 13, she stood on her own for the second time and has kept on going!! She stood on her own for the first time a few weeks ago, but it was definitely a fluke, she was reaching for something in my hand. I was turned a different way and didn't even realize it. When I did, I screamed, and she fell over. I think I scared her. But ever since last week, she is standing and starting to bounce when she is standing. She will be walking VERY soon I think! She tries to take steps, but unsuccessful so far...haha.
She has ALSO learned a sign language. BUT, we don't know which one!! We are teaching her eat, more, milk, and all done. And we think she is either doing all done or milk. However, a bunch of us decided it must be milk. It is kinda like she shakes her right fist in the air by her head. But if I take everything away she gets a little upset, and so I give her milk, and she GLADLY takes it.
Her noise of the week is like a shh shh. Super cute!
We had a visit with Nana last week, and let me tell you Sue, if you read this, I definitely appreciate you and love you SO much. Thank you for accepting me into your family!! I was developing a cold, and Nana was right on time to take care of EVERYTHING. It was wonderful. I could rest, and Ellie could get all the love. We went to the zoo, took walks, and it was good.
New baby girl, whom I think we are going to name Gemma Lee, is doing great. Everything went well with the second sonogram, and she looks super cute!! I was comparing her pics with Ellie's at the same time, and they look different! It will be exciting to meet her. I am already getting nervous and thinking about the ultimate goal for some sort of schedule. Ellie is pretty much clockwork. So, we shall see :) I am not going to have expectations. Ellie was kinda early with getting on schedule and sleeping through the night, but it might take a LOT longer with Gemma, so I just have to have some patience and roll with it.
She is moving a lot, and Taylor can feel all the kicks and punches, and we are beginning to see her move as well. Mmm...my girls...love them!
She has ALSO learned a sign language. BUT, we don't know which one!! We are teaching her eat, more, milk, and all done. And we think she is either doing all done or milk. However, a bunch of us decided it must be milk. It is kinda like she shakes her right fist in the air by her head. But if I take everything away she gets a little upset, and so I give her milk, and she GLADLY takes it.
Her noise of the week is like a shh shh. Super cute!
We had a visit with Nana last week, and let me tell you Sue, if you read this, I definitely appreciate you and love you SO much. Thank you for accepting me into your family!! I was developing a cold, and Nana was right on time to take care of EVERYTHING. It was wonderful. I could rest, and Ellie could get all the love. We went to the zoo, took walks, and it was good.
New baby girl, whom I think we are going to name Gemma Lee, is doing great. Everything went well with the second sonogram, and she looks super cute!! I was comparing her pics with Ellie's at the same time, and they look different! It will be exciting to meet her. I am already getting nervous and thinking about the ultimate goal for some sort of schedule. Ellie is pretty much clockwork. So, we shall see :) I am not going to have expectations. Ellie was kinda early with getting on schedule and sleeping through the night, but it might take a LOT longer with Gemma, so I just have to have some patience and roll with it.
She is moving a lot, and Taylor can feel all the kicks and punches, and we are beginning to see her move as well. Mmm...my girls...love them!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
More to Come
Whoo weee! It's been a while since an update and a vent. Ellie, my darling daughter, is something special! I love her, and I am loving her more and more everyday. I am beginning to see her uniqueness, and I am already trying to pick out what kind of girl she is going to be. She is such a happy baby. She loves to make different sounds. She loves straps and strings, and waving them in the air. She is standing up on EVERYTHING. Although, she can not stand on her own yet, she is getting there. She is our super petite little girl, and I have no idea where she gets it from. Taylor and I have a tall slender build, but she is just stinkin tiny. She also will eat pretty much anything we give her. However, the other day, I was feeding her vegetable medley with turkey, and she was giving me the sour face, and I couldn't figure out why. When she opened her mouth wide for the next bite, I saw chunks of potato and carrot and realized that this was the next stage, and not everything was pureed. She was letting me know, "Mom, this stuff is making me choke!" We are also giving her the snack food bite things from Graduates, which she grimaces when eating them, but she doesn't stop. Half of them end up in her palm or in her seat though. She is getting better :) She loves to smile, and I try to encourage her to smile at people that say hi to her. She knows the word 'no'. Which is awesome. Rarely does she test the limit, which leads me to believe that the next one may push the limit and test us a bit more. And we are trying now to be consistent. As hard as it is. We are working on sign language with her. Hopefully by next year, she will at least know 'more' and 'all done'. We will see :) Oh, and her FAVORITE thing is Frog. Whenever we lay her down for her nap, she reaches for that thing, and covers her face, and in goes the thumb. Super cute!
Now, we have found out that the little one growing in my tummy is another girl! We are so excited! I feel almost more excited about this one than I did with Ellie, and I think it is because I know what to expect now, and I know what is coming out, not as far as sex goes, but as far as what a baby is! As far as names, we are thinking Gemma Lee right now, but we are looking at others. Not 100% sure. She is moving around A LOT! I love it! I definitely felt it very soon, something like 16-17 weeks, the slight flutters and so forth. I went to a consignment sale a week ago, and got a double stroller, a pack 'n play, and something like 13 outfits for $130. I felt accomplished! I am trying to mentally prepare myself for sleepless nights here in a few months. It is going to be a slightly different ball game. On one hand, I know mostly what to expect. I realize that this baby may pose new things I didn't see with Ellie. But I know how to change a diaper now! But on the other hand, I am also going to have a 1 year old wanting my attention, and I am not sure how she will be. If she will be jealous, clingy, whiny, happy, gentle, rough, I have no idea. Obviously, I hope the transition will be perfect, but that is not the real world.
Taylor is doing great. A couple of weekends ago, he and a few other guys participated in the 24 hours of Lemons race, which is where they buy and upgrade a car for $500 or less, not including the safety stuff. I have very mixed feelings about the whole thing. It took up a lot of time and money, but Taylor had a great time doing a hobby he loves. Since this was the first rodeo, there was a lot to learn. Things will be done a bit different next time around. The weekend went horrible, but I would do it again. The car didn't last long at all. And they spent the whole weekend in the pit trying to fix it enough for the next person to get a turn. I spent most of my time keeping my mouth shut, but fuming in the background. Taylor had a great attitude throughout the entire weekend, and I respect him even more because of it. Now if I can have a great attitude and give him more the reason to love me. He wouldn't say this, but that is what I was thinking. Taylor's dad was also able to come! It was such a short visit, but I think he had fun working on the car with Troy's dad, also from Michigan. Oh, and it was the first weekend for me away from Ellie. And yes, I balled my eyes out the night before we left.
I think this next picture is the final tow. It caught on fire and was done. They did win an award - Most Horrible Yank Tank. Which ALMOST makes everything horrible that happened totally worth it.
A couple weekends before that, my mom, sister, Ellie, and I had our 2nd Annual Girls' Weekend. We went to Hot Springs, Arkansas. It was a lot of fun. My mom was awesome, and got us a pretty nice set up for the weekend. Ginny and I got a massage and a pedicure. I would like to make both a monthly or every other month ritual. It is so worth it. We enjoyed going to the park. We didn't really go somewhere super nice to eat, which is something that would have been nice. Every time it was time to eat, I felt like nothing was good. So it was definitely my fault. Ellie also had the worst gas/constipation ever! It was horrible! I was almost in tears because she was in so much pain. I tried putting her in the bath, and she was so tired that she kept falling over into the water while crying. I finally got in with her and turned the shower on and just held her. She was finally able to calm down and let out a bunch of toots. But that was a horrible experience. That was on Saturday, so we didn't really do any of the plans we wanted to. But the whole point was just to get away with just us girls and hang out. And that was what we did. :) Next year will be a handful with two little ones, but we could hardly leave the gals out of the girls' getaway!
We are also having a transformation in our finances, and for the better! We are doing the Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University with our church. We are so excited and with gazelle intensity, we are determined to get debt free! I get very passionate about this and want everyone to become knowledgeable about this stuff. Maybe, that is what I should do. I just had a light bulb. I have been so disappointed with how our school systems, high school and college, have taught students about personal finance, debt, checkbooks, borrowing, mortgage, etc. It is sad how much we don't know, and because of it, get ourselves in so much DEBT that we feel trapped. The one thing for me, is if something were to happen to Taylor and I, I don't want to leave Ellie and Gemma with OUR debt, nothing for them, and no will, which reminds me, we have to get on writing that, which is super HARD which is why we haven't even started. I don't want the government deciding what happens to our kids or our assets, what a tragedy. I need to accomplish that soon. It is making me worried thinking of it as incomplete right now.
And, I am 24 today. Crazy how much has happened. I have been a Christian for 8 years, 9 months, and 19 days. Taylor and I have been married for 4 years, 1 month, and 17 days. Ellie is 8 months and 16 days old. I am 21 weeks and 3 days pregnant with our second little girl. We have been a dog owner for 1 year, 5 months, and 6 days. We have been a house owner for 1 year, 3 months, and 8 days. We both have college degrees. Here are some goals for the next, let's say 10 years:
- to be DEBT FREE!!
- to go to Europe.
- to begin building our own home with our own land.
- to have 2 more kids (maybe ;) )
- to go on family vacations to: camping in Canada, skiing in Colorado, snorkeling and Disney in Florida, hiking and camping in may other places, and of course sailing in Tawas!
There are probably more, but that is all I can think of for now!
Now, we have found out that the little one growing in my tummy is another girl! We are so excited! I feel almost more excited about this one than I did with Ellie, and I think it is because I know what to expect now, and I know what is coming out, not as far as sex goes, but as far as what a baby is! As far as names, we are thinking Gemma Lee right now, but we are looking at others. Not 100% sure. She is moving around A LOT! I love it! I definitely felt it very soon, something like 16-17 weeks, the slight flutters and so forth. I went to a consignment sale a week ago, and got a double stroller, a pack 'n play, and something like 13 outfits for $130. I felt accomplished! I am trying to mentally prepare myself for sleepless nights here in a few months. It is going to be a slightly different ball game. On one hand, I know mostly what to expect. I realize that this baby may pose new things I didn't see with Ellie. But I know how to change a diaper now! But on the other hand, I am also going to have a 1 year old wanting my attention, and I am not sure how she will be. If she will be jealous, clingy, whiny, happy, gentle, rough, I have no idea. Obviously, I hope the transition will be perfect, but that is not the real world.
Taylor is doing great. A couple of weekends ago, he and a few other guys participated in the 24 hours of Lemons race, which is where they buy and upgrade a car for $500 or less, not including the safety stuff. I have very mixed feelings about the whole thing. It took up a lot of time and money, but Taylor had a great time doing a hobby he loves. Since this was the first rodeo, there was a lot to learn. Things will be done a bit different next time around. The weekend went horrible, but I would do it again. The car didn't last long at all. And they spent the whole weekend in the pit trying to fix it enough for the next person to get a turn. I spent most of my time keeping my mouth shut, but fuming in the background. Taylor had a great attitude throughout the entire weekend, and I respect him even more because of it. Now if I can have a great attitude and give him more the reason to love me. He wouldn't say this, but that is what I was thinking. Taylor's dad was also able to come! It was such a short visit, but I think he had fun working on the car with Troy's dad, also from Michigan. Oh, and it was the first weekend for me away from Ellie. And yes, I balled my eyes out the night before we left.
I think this next picture is the final tow. It caught on fire and was done. They did win an award - Most Horrible Yank Tank. Which ALMOST makes everything horrible that happened totally worth it.
A couple weekends before that, my mom, sister, Ellie, and I had our 2nd Annual Girls' Weekend. We went to Hot Springs, Arkansas. It was a lot of fun. My mom was awesome, and got us a pretty nice set up for the weekend. Ginny and I got a massage and a pedicure. I would like to make both a monthly or every other month ritual. It is so worth it. We enjoyed going to the park. We didn't really go somewhere super nice to eat, which is something that would have been nice. Every time it was time to eat, I felt like nothing was good. So it was definitely my fault. Ellie also had the worst gas/constipation ever! It was horrible! I was almost in tears because she was in so much pain. I tried putting her in the bath, and she was so tired that she kept falling over into the water while crying. I finally got in with her and turned the shower on and just held her. She was finally able to calm down and let out a bunch of toots. But that was a horrible experience. That was on Saturday, so we didn't really do any of the plans we wanted to. But the whole point was just to get away with just us girls and hang out. And that was what we did. :) Next year will be a handful with two little ones, but we could hardly leave the gals out of the girls' getaway!
We are also having a transformation in our finances, and for the better! We are doing the Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University with our church. We are so excited and with gazelle intensity, we are determined to get debt free! I get very passionate about this and want everyone to become knowledgeable about this stuff. Maybe, that is what I should do. I just had a light bulb. I have been so disappointed with how our school systems, high school and college, have taught students about personal finance, debt, checkbooks, borrowing, mortgage, etc. It is sad how much we don't know, and because of it, get ourselves in so much DEBT that we feel trapped. The one thing for me, is if something were to happen to Taylor and I, I don't want to leave Ellie and Gemma with OUR debt, nothing for them, and no will, which reminds me, we have to get on writing that, which is super HARD which is why we haven't even started. I don't want the government deciding what happens to our kids or our assets, what a tragedy. I need to accomplish that soon. It is making me worried thinking of it as incomplete right now.
And, I am 24 today. Crazy how much has happened. I have been a Christian for 8 years, 9 months, and 19 days. Taylor and I have been married for 4 years, 1 month, and 17 days. Ellie is 8 months and 16 days old. I am 21 weeks and 3 days pregnant with our second little girl. We have been a dog owner for 1 year, 5 months, and 6 days. We have been a house owner for 1 year, 3 months, and 8 days. We both have college degrees. Here are some goals for the next, let's say 10 years:
- to be DEBT FREE!!
- to go to Europe.
- to begin building our own home with our own land.
- to have 2 more kids (maybe ;) )
- to go on family vacations to: camping in Canada, skiing in Colorado, snorkeling and Disney in Florida, hiking and camping in may other places, and of course sailing in Tawas!
There are probably more, but that is all I can think of for now!
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Double Rainbow
Last week was AMAZING! We went on a family reunion vacation to Missouri for about a week. We had such a GREAT time! Ellie is officially 7 months old as of Friday, and she has learned two new things - sitting up on her own and CRAWLING! Our world has changed! And of course, I missed when she did both of these things for the first time and Taylor witnessed them. At the beginning of the week, we went to my friend Rhiannon's house. I hadn't seen her in like 3 years since she got married. So it was a great visit! She is also expecting, a little boy in November. I can't wait to meet him. I got to see her parents as well, which is always a blessing :)
Visiting with the whole family was awesome. Ellie met her great-great-grandmother, so 5 generations! Doesn't happen that often. Of course we got the picture! She had made all the fourth and fifth generations a little something. Ellie got a hand-made pillow case and bag, I got a curling iron holder (super cute), and Taylor got an apron. It was pretty awesome. They held a family auction later in the week for the rest of the stuff she made. I got an apron for Ellie, 2 hand made books, 2 potholders for Ellie, 1 potholder for myself, and 2 more iron holders. We went sailing and tubing. We played lots of games and played in the lake. It was a great relaxing week.
Visiting with the whole family was awesome. Ellie met her great-great-grandmother, so 5 generations! Doesn't happen that often. Of course we got the picture! She had made all the fourth and fifth generations a little something. Ellie got a hand-made pillow case and bag, I got a curling iron holder (super cute), and Taylor got an apron. It was pretty awesome. They held a family auction later in the week for the rest of the stuff she made. I got an apron for Ellie, 2 hand made books, 2 potholders for Ellie, 1 potholder for myself, and 2 more iron holders. We went sailing and tubing. We played lots of games and played in the lake. It was a great relaxing week.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Pregnant with Baby #2!
SO, the big news is we are 10 weeks pregnant with BABY #2!! Really super crazy. We were very surprised and shocked. We have gotten a lot of mixed emotions from a lot of people, some are very excited, and some people just kind of looked at us, almost like they weren't very happy for us, just kinda like what are you thinking? Well the truth is, we weren't. We didn't exactly plan it, but God works all things out to the good of His purpose and I have no doubt that God has special plans for this little one. I also have some mixed emotions. First thought was for Ellie, worried for her, excited for her. She won't really know what it is like to be the only child. Seeing her with other little ones though gets me excited and sets me at ease because she just smiles at them and wants to suck their faces and touch their hair, super gentle and super sweet! I also wanted a little bit more time with just her. But, I am excited about this little one. Already talking about making it a point to be super excited as he/she goes through each of her/his firsts. Baby is due January 30, Ellie's birthday is January 6. CRAZY! But it happens quite often.
Now, if I could just get over this morning sickness.....ick!
Now, if I could just get over this morning sickness.....ick!
Huge Disappointments but Some Surprises
Okay, it's been a while.
The teams that made it to the Semifinals - Uruguay will play the Netherlands, and Germany will play Spain. Ultimately I am hoping for Netherlands, ultimately, and then Spain. However, Germany, I think, will be the one to beat, and if I were betting, I would say they will probably win the cup.
Argentina lost to Germany in probably the MOST disappointing game of the cup, 4-0. It was embarrassing. I didn't even feel bad for them - they just sucked hard core. Germany was able to out maneuver them completely. Messi was not even a threat, almost non-existent on the field. I was sad because I was impressed with him highly in the beginning.
Netherlands beat Brazil, which was awesome! They did it with style too. The goals by Schneider were incredibly awesome!! I feel bad that one of his goals was credited as an own goal. Yes that defender made a bad move and may have even touched it, but that shot was awesome and was going in regardless.
Ghana beat United States but then had a TERRIBLE loss to Uruguay. They scored a goal in seriously the very last second, and one of the Uruguayan players - Suarez, I believe, did the most cowardly thing ever and blocked the goal with his hand. So no goal. He was given a red card and Ghana was awarded a PK, which he missed. So they ended up going into PKs, which they lost 5-3. SO SAD. That was a tremendous upset.
Awesome game however was between Paraguay and Spain. At the last few moments of the game - Paraguay got a PK, which the keeper stopped amazingly. THEN the counter attack by Spain led to them getting a PK, which they scored but was called back because a Spaniard crossed the line before the kick was taken. So the kick was retaken, and it was blocked by the keeper and rebounded out, and then shot again, and the keeper blocked it again! DRAMA!! Spain did eventually get a goal in to win the game though.
The teams that made it to the Semifinals - Uruguay will play the Netherlands, and Germany will play Spain. Ultimately I am hoping for Netherlands, ultimately, and then Spain. However, Germany, I think, will be the one to beat, and if I were betting, I would say they will probably win the cup.
Argentina lost to Germany in probably the MOST disappointing game of the cup, 4-0. It was embarrassing. I didn't even feel bad for them - they just sucked hard core. Germany was able to out maneuver them completely. Messi was not even a threat, almost non-existent on the field. I was sad because I was impressed with him highly in the beginning.
Netherlands beat Brazil, which was awesome! They did it with style too. The goals by Schneider were incredibly awesome!! I feel bad that one of his goals was credited as an own goal. Yes that defender made a bad move and may have even touched it, but that shot was awesome and was going in regardless.
Ghana beat United States but then had a TERRIBLE loss to Uruguay. They scored a goal in seriously the very last second, and one of the Uruguayan players - Suarez, I believe, did the most cowardly thing ever and blocked the goal with his hand. So no goal. He was given a red card and Ghana was awarded a PK, which he missed. So they ended up going into PKs, which they lost 5-3. SO SAD. That was a tremendous upset.
Awesome game however was between Paraguay and Spain. At the last few moments of the game - Paraguay got a PK, which the keeper stopped amazingly. THEN the counter attack by Spain led to them getting a PK, which they scored but was called back because a Spaniard crossed the line before the kick was taken. So the kick was retaken, and it was blocked by the keeper and rebounded out, and then shot again, and the keeper blocked it again! DRAMA!! Spain did eventually get a goal in to win the game though.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Final Guess - Group H
I will keep it short - Chile and Switzerland. And I kinda like the Swiss. I was impressed with their game against Spain. They have Honduras left, which I think they will beat. If Spain beats Chile, then it could be interesting having 3 teams tied with 6. It will go by goals then, and right now, Chile and Spain lead with 2 and 1, respectively. The Swiss are at 0. So really, it could go to anyone. Honduras even has a chance. It is kind of fun looking at all the different possibilities.
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