7 Months- forgot I had it saved!

Sophia!

This has been a huge month for you! Talk about growing leaps and bounds. We had a multi-destination trip this last month and you were such a trooper. We first went to Minnesota where you got to meet your great grandparents, my aunts, my uncles and cousins as well as some family friends. Mom and Auntie Abby met us there and we all drove back to Montana together. We then spent 2 wonderful weeks at the ranch. 

You had so many new firsts and had so much fun. You got your second tooth in... I can't get over how adorable you look with those two little pearly whites. Even though before we left you started crawling it was more like the inch worm crawl. Up down Up down. During the trip you became a crawling champion. Amazingly too- you also started to pull yourself up on things. Straws became a new fascination as you learned to drink from them. Not all of it is swallowed and there's a bunch of backwash but you think it's pretty cool. Of course we also can't leave out that you sat on horses for the first time! It was like sitting on big puppy dogs and you thought that was great!!!

Daddy couldn't believe how much you changed when we got back and loved seeing your personality come out. Oh Man Oh Man what a personality it is! You are hysterical- all laughs and smiles. We get lots of giggles out of you too. I adore watching you grow up sweet baby girl and am so proud of who you've become thus far.

Love you sweet thing! 

Mama

Long time no see.

It has been wayyy too long since I've hopped on here and typed up! So many things have happened.

- Sophia celebrated her first thanksgiving... It was a lot of fun that she could actually eat all of Gigi's food! She also took her first steps on thanksgiving day!

- As I figured, as soon as she figured out those few steps she took off! Less than two months later she is so close to running.

- S now has 10 teeth! 10!

- J finished his second semester of college; with fabulous grades. I am so proud of him.

- Supporting a husband that is in college and working full time is not easy and rather exhausting.

- I started refinishing my kitchen cabinets. They're looking gorgeous and have about half of them completed! Currently on hold until the bedroom gets finished... (See below)

- We celebrated Sophia's first birthday! I started planning early and I think it went really well! We did pink/teal with yellow and owl accents. She was all about eating the icing and didn't need much encourage to dig into the cake. I ended up pulling it from her because she was so enthusiastic. She had so much fun with all her new toys and thought pulling tissues from the bag was more fun than ripping up wrapping paper.

- We were impressed that Sophia went to sleep in a pack in play at a friends house, in the same room as their daughter went to sleep. Love the adult time!

- Our family got to spend Christmas with both sides. We hosted Christmas Eve brunch at our house (I even made delicious cinnamon roll from scratch!) and then we had way too much fun at Joe's brother's and sister in laws.

- Christmas morning we headed to Montana. Our flight got in at 11 and we got to spend two weeks with family. Joe really needed the break from both school and work.

- Our room is getting an Oasis makeover. Seriously, all parents need their space and we're working on making ours have some serious swag. In the middle or re-doing the floors (Pergo XP Handsawn Oak- GORGEOUS) we realized we wouldn't have enough... Wouldn't you have it? The flooring is out of stock... So now we're grateful that we have a guestroom while we wait for it. Also, taking advantage of no baseboards and I'm getting the walls painted!

- Joe started his 3rd semester. I swear, I never had this bad of luck with professors. I feel so bad for him. He's had such demanding and frustrating instructors. It's even harder because almost all of them have been really disorganized and if you know Joe, disorganized and lack of logic drives Joe BATTY!

- We're trying to plan a getaway/honeymoon. Finally! It's been almost 4 years in the making... It will be a little smaller than originally planned. But we will have a good time no matter what...

Food Challenge!

It is way too easy to get into a cooking rut! When I got back from my 3 week trip I felt like I had to remind myself even how to cook. Now that I have a mobile 7 month old it gets even more difficult! SO! I have decided to give myself a new type of challenge. I already know that by doing preparation during nap time making dinner is a much seamless and easier task. I'm going to add another step. I'm going to have recipes for the next month planned out and even have my shopping lists all ready bimonthly. I'll set it up in the refrigerator with each meal in a certain place. I'm so excited to not only do this but also try a bunch of new recipes. I will have to keep y'all updated with the progress and some recipe ideas. I challenge y'all to spice it up too!

Teeth and Big Trip!

Announcement!!! Sophia's first tooth popped through! Finally! I think the second one is just right behind it because it seems to still be bothering her. As soon as we can thoroughly see the tooth I will post a picture of a cute smiley TOOTHY baby! Can't believe we have a tooth!

Tomorrow Sophia and I head off for a three week trip. As much as I am so stinking excited for the trip, I am a little sad because Joe won't be able to come with us at all. We've done one deployment apart but right now 3 weeks seems so long especially because baby's change so much so quickly. First stop in our 3 week excursion is to Minnesota where all of my mom's family is from. Sophia gets to meet her great grandparents, 4 great aunts (and their husbands), lots of my cousins as well as family friends. Most of these people I haven't seen in 3-6 years! My mom and sister will be meeting us in Minnesota and then Sophia and I'll drive back to Montana with them. We'll be back just in time to go to my favorite Rodeo (haven't been in 3 years) during the 4th of July week. I'm so grateful that we'll also be able to spend a full 2 weeks with my parents and siblings in picturesque Montana. I do miss it so much and am going to get to see good friends and even some more family members who I haven't seen in probably 10 years! I can't wait to share pictures etc with y'all and will try to update during the trip!!!

Can you feel my excitement from where you're sitting? I think I use too many exclamation marks. ha!

6 months!

Sweet Sophia,
You're now 6 months old! Whaaaat! Where did time go?! Daddy and I were just talking about how incredible our life can change in just a year but we wouldn't change it for the world. We're so very glad that you are part of our life. We are such hopeless saps whenever you smile and giggle at us which is quite often these days. All we really have to do is look at you and make a silly sound or face and we get ear to ear grins.

We're still waiting for those teeth to come through. I am sure hoping that they make an appearance soon because they are making you whiny and fussy! Normally when you wake up you talk to yourself for awhile but these teeth seem to make you just cry. Your sleep schedule hasn't altered much- you almost put yourself to bed at 8pm and are up by 8am with only one feeding in between.

You're getting to be such a big girl and we couldn't be more proud of you! You've begun your own type of crawling but can definitely get around. Also, not only are you able to sit up by yourself but you are also close to being able to push yourself up from a knee position to a sitting!

The freezer is getting more and more full of baby food as you're trying so much. We've added spinach, green peas, pears, peaches, avocados and pineapple into your food repertoire! It's amazing how you like to just gobble it all up but I secretly still love how much you still want your mama because that time together is just so precious.

Monday was your 6 month checkup and Mama has a love/hate relationship with the appointments! I love them because I get to see how much you've grown but I hate them because you have to get shots. :( You're now 27 inches long ( 90% percentile!)  and 14.8 lbs (36% percentile). The part that makes me giggle is that your head is considered 0 percentile. You have such a little petite head but we love it! The size of your noggin doesn't matter- you're so smart anyway!!!!

We love you sweet baby girl and are so excited to watch you continue to grow and grow!

Father's Day Gift for Daddy- 2012

NOT unemployed! - A little ranting and raving.

Caution: Personal convictions and opinions abound:

When I was about 6 weeks pregnant we moved just north of Austin on a total faith walk. Joe got out of the navy, got a good job and we were staying in a hotel while we found other housing. I had no plans yet to work when we moved and then we found out we were pregnant so working plans went on hold even longer. It just didn't make sense to go to work for a few months and then quit. Because you see, Joe and I made a decision early on in our relationship... As long as it would be financially possible (and we intended to always make it possible even if Joe had to work 2 jobs) and until our children were in school, I would not work outside the home. But this did NOT mean that I was going to be unemployed!!!

When I would go to my postpartum checkups the front desk clerk would always confirm, "You're not currently employed correct?" I constantly have to fill out forms and claim the unemployed check-mark. I went to a work event of my husbands and asked what I do for work and about half the people say something along the lines of, "where do you work?". This so saddens me! Where in our society have we gone from it being awkward to be a working mom to being awkward to be at home with your kiddo? Not only do they wonder why I don't work but they fully expect me to not also have a degree. No, I have a degree and would love to work but right now its not where I need to be.

We completely believe that being a mom is a full time job and a wonderful calling. By being with my daughter and future children all day, I get to raise my own child. I know what she's hearing and seeing. Yes I would love to get my masters and work but it's just not the time yet. I need to invest my heart and time into my child and I know that it will be the best investment I will EVER make. 

I am NOT unemployed. I just need to make that clear. I have a job: I am Joe's wife and Sophia's mother. My day consists of lots of diapers, cleaning, laundry, dogs (yes we have 3), errands, activities... I stay busy loving on my kiddo, invoking lots of laughter, smiles and encouraging growth and proper stimulation. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Here's a little glimpse into my awesome world.

Sweetest little baby!

Getting to be such a big girl! Loves to push up and doing beginning stages of crawling.

My two loves (one with a ridiculous mustache) on Memorial Day *note: husband had been so far removed from military world that he had forgotten which side ribbon rack went on and noticed later...

Sophia getting cleaned up by her biggest fan club after some baby food!

Mothers Day

Ever since I was little when asked who my hero was, I would respond my Mom. She and I always had a close relationship. Even when I was a teenager we would have our arguments and come back in mutual appreciation for each other.


My Mama is a blue eyed, blond haired bombshell! I'll let her picture speak for itself...

Yeah she doesn't look like a Grandma to me either!

What is most amazing about my Mama is that her external beauty is only a fraction of her internal beauty. Unless you met her you wouldn't completely understand, but this is some of why I can say that.

This past Sunday in our Bible Study fellowship we spoke of how our Mom's changed our lives. Since I was one of the last to speak I heard everyone else's comments first... I kept thinking, yep my mom is like that, yep my mom does that. It was really hard to pick one thing that changed my life because everything that I am is because of my Mom. (Ok some bad habits may be from my dad .. hehe)

The one thing I picked is that my mom is the most hospitable person that I know. If you met my mom, you would feel instantly liked, instantly happy and instantly at home. She may just have 3 biological children but she has countless others that call her Mom. She attended events of kids that didn't belong to her. She hosted many parties and stayed up many late nights helping one person or another. My mama can throw together a gala in hours or put together more food for company in minutes.

She is this insanely capable woman. She moved our family 9 times (4 times across oceans) not counting the times from an apartment to house etc. She has managed 3 kids schedules and a husband who traveled throughout our childhood about half of the year. We have had hamsters, rabbits, cats, dogs, fish, turtles and horses. Whew now that I type that I realize even more so what all my mom handled!

My mama is the most beautiful chameleon. She can wear linen and heels and host tea parties in Singapore one month and the next month wear jeans, cowboy boots and a baseball cap and train horses. She adapts to any situation necessary with unassuming grace, elegance and poise.

Now that I'm a mom too, I understand some of what my mom did. I now understand sleepless nights, exhaustion and being mom even when you feel sick. I see how little "me time" my mom had and how incredible it was that she was able to keep our home spotless.

I am so blessed to have Joan as my mom. I didn't just grow up, she raised me. I am so blessed that she helped guide me into marriage and now into motherhood. She's an incredible woman, mom and now grandma.

Thanks Mama for all you are, all you did and all you love me.