This is my last post of 2010. I wanted to share with you a few of my favorites from the last year. There are so many I really wanted to share but I didn't want to overload you. So, there are exactly 12. One for each month this year...I'm sure you can already guess what January's is!
Friday, December 31, 2010
It's not much fun without her.
Today was supposed to be a "Mommy Day". A relax, take it easy, have fun and enjoy some shopping with no interruptions day. Well, it was for a while and then it wasn't.
I got up, got Teagan dressed and her stuff all packed so she could go to her Grandparents with her daddy. I lounged around the house after they left because I didn't really want to crawl back in the bed. I did a few loads of laundry, changed outfits 3 times and then headed out for my "Mommy Day" shopping adventure.
It. Was. No. Fun.
On the way I kept looking into the backseat for my little companion but alas even her car seat wasn't back there. She wasn't in the car to sing to me or even to whine at me because she dropped the book she was "reading". As frustrated as I get at her sometimes while driving, I would rather have the frustration then the silence. I could handle that today though, I made a mix especially for today and so I cranked it up and jammed on the way to Target. Target wasn't so bad. I found a few cute things that I had to allow myself to spend my gift card on. I have a love-hate relationship with spending Christmas money/gift cards. I know once they're gone that's it and I have to choose carefully what I will spend them on.
Then , I headed to the mall. I had gift cards to a few stores in there but when I got inside I found myself aimlessly walking around. I wasn't used to not having a stroller in front of me with a curious baby inside. I found myself feeling overwhelmed and ready to leave as soon as I got there.
Basically, my shopping day was a bust because shopping alone is no longer fun unless I need to do a quick run in and out. I hate going to the mall when it's crowded and I should have known better than to go today. Also, there was a Borders, which I knew and forgot, and not a Barnes and Noble which just put the icing on the cake. I love to go into Barnes and Noble, grab a cup of coffee and relax as I go on a treasure hunt among the aisles of books.
I do have a lot to look forward to the rest of the day. After I finish up the laundry and clean up a bit I am meeting Josh and Little Bear at the Heavner house for a New Years Eve sleepover!
I got up, got Teagan dressed and her stuff all packed so she could go to her Grandparents with her daddy. I lounged around the house after they left because I didn't really want to crawl back in the bed. I did a few loads of laundry, changed outfits 3 times and then headed out for my "Mommy Day" shopping adventure.
It. Was. No. Fun.
On the way I kept looking into the backseat for my little companion but alas even her car seat wasn't back there. She wasn't in the car to sing to me or even to whine at me because she dropped the book she was "reading". As frustrated as I get at her sometimes while driving, I would rather have the frustration then the silence. I could handle that today though, I made a mix especially for today and so I cranked it up and jammed on the way to Target. Target wasn't so bad. I found a few cute things that I had to allow myself to spend my gift card on. I have a love-hate relationship with spending Christmas money/gift cards. I know once they're gone that's it and I have to choose carefully what I will spend them on.
Then , I headed to the mall. I had gift cards to a few stores in there but when I got inside I found myself aimlessly walking around. I wasn't used to not having a stroller in front of me with a curious baby inside. I found myself feeling overwhelmed and ready to leave as soon as I got there.
Basically, my shopping day was a bust because shopping alone is no longer fun unless I need to do a quick run in and out. I hate going to the mall when it's crowded and I should have known better than to go today. Also, there was a Borders, which I knew and forgot, and not a Barnes and Noble which just put the icing on the cake. I love to go into Barnes and Noble, grab a cup of coffee and relax as I go on a treasure hunt among the aisles of books.
I do have a lot to look forward to the rest of the day. After I finish up the laundry and clean up a bit I am meeting Josh and Little Bear at the Heavner house for a New Years Eve sleepover!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
11 months
Dearest Teagan,
So much has gone on this last month Little Bear. So much that I am almost at a loss for words to type. I grow anxious and excited for this next month because you will soon turn 1. As I type those words a lump rises in my throat and my eyes are glassy with tears. These last 11 months have been beautiful and hard all at the same time. You've made life a healthy challenge and your daddy and I love you so much for that. You've been a fairly easy baby to be quite honest. This last month your independence is starting to really develop and flourish. More often then not I welcome your new found independence and other times I ache with a longing for the days where you needed me more. Where your daddy and I were your whole world. The growing up process is something I am going to have to get used to for the rest of your life and I promise to allow you room to do so. I might hover a little more then you'd like but I promise not to smother you.
You're crawling at Olympic speed and you've tackled the stairs on more then on occasion. You cruise at ease and stand for minutes at a time. You got a tricycle from your Grandma and Grandpa for Christmas and you like to push it around the house walking behind it. Bascially once you take those first independent steps you will be a force to be reckoned with. I can only imagine how fun you are going to be (as if it's possible to be more fun then you are now)! We introduced sign language a few months ago and you can sign "more" and "all done" but only when you want to. You have a different wave for "hi" and "bye" and you've started pointing to what you want while trying to say it at the same time. You say "Dada" and "Mama" sometimes on purpose and sometimes I think you just like to say them. Either way those words will forever be music to our ears. We are starting the official "weaning" process after the new year starts and I'm curious as to how it's going to go. We've introduced the whole milk because you've proven to have no allergies so far (thank the Lord) but you're still kind of hesitant about the taste just yet so I'm glad we've started the introduction now. You have been off of the whole one bottle you took at daycare for a little over 2mths and drink from your sippy cup like a champ, no matter what kind. You've been moved up, luckily along with your daycare bffs Matilda and Cooper, at "school" and are having kind of a hard time adjusting. I guess when your first set of teachers set the bar so high it's hard for others to get to their level. I hope that once the holidays are over and you're back to a normal schedule it will be easier for you Little Bear. I hate to leave you crying...
You've started actually wanting to feed yourself off of my plate as opposed to just being able to feed yourself off of my plate. You can also feed yourself with a spoon with a little guidance in getting enough food on the spoon to actually eat. You just continue to amaze me with the things you can do.
The next "month" post I write will be for your first birthday, Little Bear. Even though I know it's coming. Even though I tear up at the thought of my baby girl not being a baby anymore. I cannot wait to see what this next year is going to bring up.
Your daddy and I love you very much Little Bear. Don't you ever forget that.
Love Forever & Always,
Mommy
So much has gone on this last month Little Bear. So much that I am almost at a loss for words to type. I grow anxious and excited for this next month because you will soon turn 1. As I type those words a lump rises in my throat and my eyes are glassy with tears. These last 11 months have been beautiful and hard all at the same time. You've made life a healthy challenge and your daddy and I love you so much for that. You've been a fairly easy baby to be quite honest. This last month your independence is starting to really develop and flourish. More often then not I welcome your new found independence and other times I ache with a longing for the days where you needed me more. Where your daddy and I were your whole world. The growing up process is something I am going to have to get used to for the rest of your life and I promise to allow you room to do so. I might hover a little more then you'd like but I promise not to smother you.
You're crawling at Olympic speed and you've tackled the stairs on more then on occasion. You cruise at ease and stand for minutes at a time. You got a tricycle from your Grandma and Grandpa for Christmas and you like to push it around the house walking behind it. Bascially once you take those first independent steps you will be a force to be reckoned with. I can only imagine how fun you are going to be (as if it's possible to be more fun then you are now)! We introduced sign language a few months ago and you can sign "more" and "all done" but only when you want to. You have a different wave for "hi" and "bye" and you've started pointing to what you want while trying to say it at the same time. You say "Dada" and "Mama" sometimes on purpose and sometimes I think you just like to say them. Either way those words will forever be music to our ears. We are starting the official "weaning" process after the new year starts and I'm curious as to how it's going to go. We've introduced the whole milk because you've proven to have no allergies so far (thank the Lord) but you're still kind of hesitant about the taste just yet so I'm glad we've started the introduction now. You have been off of the whole one bottle you took at daycare for a little over 2mths and drink from your sippy cup like a champ, no matter what kind. You've been moved up, luckily along with your daycare bffs Matilda and Cooper, at "school" and are having kind of a hard time adjusting. I guess when your first set of teachers set the bar so high it's hard for others to get to their level. I hope that once the holidays are over and you're back to a normal schedule it will be easier for you Little Bear. I hate to leave you crying...
You've started actually wanting to feed yourself off of my plate as opposed to just being able to feed yourself off of my plate. You can also feed yourself with a spoon with a little guidance in getting enough food on the spoon to actually eat. You just continue to amaze me with the things you can do.
The next "month" post I write will be for your first birthday, Little Bear. Even though I know it's coming. Even though I tear up at the thought of my baby girl not being a baby anymore. I cannot wait to see what this next year is going to bring up.
Your daddy and I love you very much Little Bear. Don't you ever forget that.
Love Forever & Always,
Mommy
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Restless Baby Syndrome
You know when you wake up in the middle of the night and stare at the ceiling for hours because you cannot go back to sleep? You count sheep. You count them backwards. Then you make a list of everything you have to do the rest of the month and then start to freak out because you don't think you can get it all done? You know those nights when you figure out the answer to a question like how to stop world hunger but are too lazy to get out of bed to write it down even though you know you'll forget it in the morning? Well, Teagan had one of those moments around 2:30 - 3:45 this morning. Only thing is, I got to experience it with her.
It was the oddest thing. She woke up around 2:20 and after letting her whine a little bit I went in there to check on her after I heard the mattress bouncing. *sidenote- standing in the crib was cute the first few times, not so much at 2:30 in the morning* I picked her up and cuddled her for a minute then put her back down in her crib with my hand on her belly because she was wide awake. There were a few cycles of up and down and cuddle and put back down and pick up but eventually she realized she needed to lay down because it was still "night night" so she just laid there. I sat in the middle of her room in front of her crib so she could see me. I would turn and check on her every few minutes to see if she was sleeping and to make sure she was breathing because she was so very quiet. She just laid there for around an hour. Eyes wide open with a look of intense contemplation. It was as if she had every burden in the world on her shoulders and she was trying to figure out how to solve them. About 3:45am she just drifted off to sleep and then didn't wake up until around 7am.
It's moments like this when I wonder the most what must have been running through her head?
It was the oddest thing. She woke up around 2:20 and after letting her whine a little bit I went in there to check on her after I heard the mattress bouncing. *sidenote- standing in the crib was cute the first few times, not so much at 2:30 in the morning* I picked her up and cuddled her for a minute then put her back down in her crib with my hand on her belly because she was wide awake. There were a few cycles of up and down and cuddle and put back down and pick up but eventually she realized she needed to lay down because it was still "night night" so she just laid there. I sat in the middle of her room in front of her crib so she could see me. I would turn and check on her every few minutes to see if she was sleeping and to make sure she was breathing because she was so very quiet. She just laid there for around an hour. Eyes wide open with a look of intense contemplation. It was as if she had every burden in the world on her shoulders and she was trying to figure out how to solve them. About 3:45am she just drifted off to sleep and then didn't wake up until around 7am.
It's moments like this when I wonder the most what must have been running through her head?
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Christmas goodies from Eva!
Let me just tell you Teagan has the best pen pal ever, Little Eva & her mom Nessa are two super sweet girlies!
Teagan received a special package in the mail from Eva a few days before Christmas and after I told her who it was from she couldn't wait to open it!
Teagan received a special package in the mail from Eva a few days before Christmas and after I told her who it was from she couldn't wait to open it!
After opening it she found all sorts of sweet goodies!
Thanks girls!
Violet Peapod
I found these sleep-sacks a few months ago and fell in love with the sweet simplicity of the designs. Teagan has been in a sleep-sack since we stopped swaddling around 4mths and I have a feeling she will be in a sleep-sack as long as she fits (insert Twitter hash tag #paranoidmom here). I sent an inquiry and within a few weeks we received one in the mail.
Oh. My. Goodness. The softness of this sleep-sack is like nothing I've ever felt before (when it comes to sleep-sacks that is). The fabric is actually milled in the US and Lonnore hand makes the applique herself. If you are interested in purchasing this product then go to the website! You won't be sorry! Also, when you head over to the site make sure to read her story. It's precious and shows you how down to earth and motherly she is....just like the rest of us!
We received the organic knit and Teagan just loved to "pet" the adorable bird on the front.
Oh. My. Goodness. The softness of this sleep-sack is like nothing I've ever felt before (when it comes to sleep-sacks that is). The fabric is actually milled in the US and Lonnore hand makes the applique herself. If you are interested in purchasing this product then go to the website! You won't be sorry! Also, when you head over to the site make sure to read her story. It's precious and shows you how down to earth and motherly she is....just like the rest of us!
We received the organic knit and Teagan just loved to "pet" the adorable bird on the front.
Here are a few pictures of Teagan trying on the sleep-sack...
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Half Marathon.
Well, 13.105 miles later, the race was complete in 2 hours 41 minutes and 20 seconds. I had a flood of different emotions before the race, during the race and after the race. Even right now I feel a sense of pride in myself. This is something I haven’t felt in a long time and I can’t wait to try it again.
I do want to take a minute to thank those of you who donated to the cause I was running for. The research for the cure of SMA is crucial and I take it very seriously, especially after corresponding with Getty and Sophia’s mom. I feel the need to fight for it; to fight for them and to fight for future babies. Especially when researchers say the cure for this disease is so close.
I also want to write a special thanks to my husband and my sweet baby girl. They selflessly gave me time to train and were right there at the finish line cheering me on in the cold rain. My parents also came to the race and were a constant support during my training and my run. G.P.S., Inc was also a financial sponsor for this race.
The half marathon was something I don’t think you can mentally prepare for until you’ve ran your first one. I went in as prepared as I could have been in spite of the circumstances. I trained mileage, hills and speed but I was unable to prepare for the weather. Nothing prepares you for the mind game of the actual race.
Next race I will be sure to study the actual elevation of the course because to be quite honest, I don’t know that many people were prepared for the intensity of the hills we conquered. They were all very steep and there were a lot of them. The runners didn’t have a lot of flat ground to run in between the hills. During the start of the race I was dead set on not walking until at least mile 9 because I’d trained to 8 miles in under 1 hr and 15 minutes and knew I could do that without walking. That was without the hills…so, needless to say I did a little walking in the first 9 miles. Overall I think I only walk a mile or so out of 13 so I see that as a triumph. Around mile 11 my calves started to cramp. I have never felt cramping like I did that day. It felt better to run then it did to walk but my body was starting to get tired. At that point the race became a mind game and I feel proud that I was able to overcome it. The finish line was the best part of the race. Not because it was the end but because when I came around the curve of the track (the last leg was on a track) I saw Josh and Teagan standing in the infield waving and yelling to me. Then I came around the curve and saw my mom and knew she was crying and then I saw my dad with the camera. I started to cry a little at that point but sped up because I was running to them. I was running to be in the arms of four people who provide me with constant support, no questions asked. As I crossed the finish line they called my name, gave me a bottle of water and slipped a medal over my head. My first running medal. I was swollen with a sense of pride.
Next race I will be sure to study the actual elevation of the course because to be quite honest, I don’t know that many people were prepared for the intensity of the hills we conquered. They were all very steep and there were a lot of them. The runners didn’t have a lot of flat ground to run in between the hills. During the start of the race I was dead set on not walking until at least mile 9 because I’d trained to 8 miles in under 1 hr and 15 minutes and knew I could do that without walking. That was without the hills…so, needless to say I did a little walking in the first 9 miles. Overall I think I only walk a mile or so out of 13 so I see that as a triumph. Around mile 11 my calves started to cramp. I have never felt cramping like I did that day. It felt better to run then it did to walk but my body was starting to get tired. At that point the race became a mind game and I feel proud that I was able to overcome it. The finish line was the best part of the race. Not because it was the end but because when I came around the curve of the track (the last leg was on a track) I saw Josh and Teagan standing in the infield waving and yelling to me. Then I came around the curve and saw my mom and knew she was crying and then I saw my dad with the camera. I started to cry a little at that point but sped up because I was running to them. I was running to be in the arms of four people who provide me with constant support, no questions asked. As I crossed the finish line they called my name, gave me a bottle of water and slipped a medal over my head. My first running medal. I was swollen with a sense of pride.
After the race was a mix of adrenaline and exhaustion and paid and happiness. I was cold and wet but I had my family around me and that kept my mind off things. Teagan was very excited about the medal and played with it while I tried to stretch my hot/cold extremities. After I tried to stretch and we took some pictures we made our way to get me a little food and more water. I had to prepare for the 2 hour ride home. We made it just fine!
Overall, I am pretty proud of myself. Sure, there are a few things I will do differently next time like:
Make sure my Ipod is put on correctly (it was on upside down) so I can adjust it when I need to.
Make sure to study the elevation of the course.
Make sure to eat enough the night before and the morning of.
Be prepared for the weather (I didn’t have “rain” apparel).
Overall, I feel like the race was a success. I honestly can’t wait to get my running shoes back on and train for my next one!
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