10 on Tuesday

1. How do you feel about Groundhog’s Day?
I think it is fun for little kids and kind of ridiculous how some adults take it so seriously. I mean, Spring doesn't come until 6 weeks later anyway, right? 

2. What color are your fingernails right now? 
I guess you could call it au natural.  

3. Do you like riddles?
It depends. Sometimes they are just annoying.

4. When you were 10, how old did you think “old” was? At your current age, how old do you think “old” is?
When I was little, I probably thought an “old” person was 50. Now I think it depends on the person. Someone can be old at 60, but others can be old at 90.

5. Do you wish on stars?
Yup.

6. Do you recycle?
Yes.

7. On a scale from 1-10, how good of a cook are you?
Maybe like a 7. I’m not very confident in my skills, nor do I usually have what I need to actually cook something.

8. Do you color your hair? Professionally or at home?
I stopped doing it at home when I was getting it all over the place, even in rooms that I didn't dye my hair in. So now I get it done professionally maybe four times a year.

9. One a scale from 1-10, how do you rate your manners?
About a 7. I could work on them a bit.

10. Who are the last 5 people you have texted?1. Cait
2. Meg
3. Sean
4. Lauren
5. Kathy

Weigh In Wednesday

Weight loss to date: 39 pounds {yay!}

BMI: 24.2 ~ Good to be in the "normal" range. 

Weight left to lose: 6 pounds 

First Goal: 25 pounds {Reached: 9.14.11} 

• Reward: Coach Baby Bag {got it and love it!} 

Second Goal: 35 pounds {Reached: 12.18.11} 

• Reward: a few new clothing items 

Final Goal: 45 pounds 

• Reward: originally thought some new clothes, but I'll be happy that my old ones fit!

Success: I'm actually fitting into work pants I haven't worn in years, literally. I can run for 15 minutes without stopping. I signed up for my very first 5k. It's the Phillies Charities 5k and is on March 31st. Right now I'm feeling pretty unprepared, but I've got a little time. I checked in with the nurse at the gym last month and this month and I lost 3 pounds and a decent amount of inches. I can see a little more definition to my waist. People have noticed the weight loss, some just in my face, others as the whole body. I'm feeling healthier.  

Set-Backs: I still don't eat as well as I could. I tried cutting back on calories and noticed a decrease in breast milk, so I upped the caloric intake again. I really need to eat healthier, and cooking more often would be a solution to improving my eating habits. I still have this damn muffin top. Seriously, I can feel my ribs and see definition up by them and above where my "waist" is. But below the waist near my belly button is just flab. Ugh, it's so annoying. And now I'm kicking myself for not taking better care of myself when I was pregnant with Aidan, wishing I didn't get pre-eclampsia and high blood pressure, wishing I didn't gain 65 pounds and stretch my skin out. Oh well. I'm on the road to healthy now. There's no looking back.    

Exercise: I've been getting a good workout in at least once a week. I've also been walking a lot more at school. I'd love to get to the gym twice a week and do Zumba at home once a week. I'm just so tired once Abby is in bed that I'm not far behind her. Maybe once the weather is nice I can take the kids for a walk after school.  

Sean noticed some of my weight loss, and even though he didn't say anything specific until I started talking about it generally, I was happy to hear he noticed it too. I've got to keep up the loss though. And I really need to start running or else I'm going to come in last in the 5k! :)  

My thoughts on life right now:

Just not enough time in the day. 

5 months

5 months old...and Mommy's been slacking on pictures and blogging. Oh, and have I mentioned that the baby book doesn't have a single thing written in it? Yes Abby, you already have second child syndrome and you aren't even a year old yet. I'm sorry. I've got lots of guilt and not a lot of time for those things. But, trust me when I say that time spent with you is amazing. You light up not only my life, but Daddy and Aidan's too. You complete our family and we love you so incredibly much.

Here's what Abby is up to:

• giggles, especially at Aidan's silly antics
• loves to be held
• sort of attached to mommy
• transitioned to mommy going back to work pretty well; mom-mom is working on a routine and it will happen soon enough
• rolls from belly to back almost immediately
• scoots on her back by pushing with her feet
• puts everything in her mouth
• loves cereal! 
• still breast fed, getting bottles in the daytime and nursing on demand when mommy is around (mommy is proud to have made it this long)
• wakes up once a night every once in a while
• wearing 6 months/6-9 months clothes
• wearing size 2 diapers
• loves to be on the go
• enjoys being at Aunt Cait's basketball games
• still a happy baby

At her January 11th appointment she was:

13 pounds, 14 ounces {43rd percentile}

24 inches {26th percentile}

16.24 inches head size {47th percentile}

And she was super healthy. :)

{1st taste of rice cereal}

{loves giving kisses}

{1st veggie-peas}

My thoughts on life right now:

I can't believe my little baby girl is five months old already. 

Time has flown by, and it makes me sad.

I really wish I would upload pics and blog more often. 

um, hello?

Seriously, where does the time go? And why on Earth do I allow myself to get mad that I'm not getting things done even though I'm doing the mom and working thing?
I need to upload photos from around December 20th on, add them into past blog posts, add some more blog posts (I've got some random thoughts I need to get out), and get Abby's 5 months (tomorrow! eeek!) photos taken. I also want to start taking more pics of the kids since I haven't been. I need some serious organization into my life right now, and I'm hoping to get back into blogging.
Lately though I have been so exhausted that I don't even turn the computer on at night. It's just too late and I know once I'm on here I'll be on for too long and I need my sleep.

So, Fairy Godmother, if you're out there, I could use some help de-cluttering and cleaning my house, then I should be able to get things like taking/uploading/editing photos and blog writing done. That's important to me. Especially since one of these years I'm going to take the time to make this blog into a book so my kids can look back on what went through mommy's head.

My thoughts on life right now:
There's not enough time in the day!!!

Merry Christmas & a Happy 4 Months!

Wow. Four glorious months have gone by since our Abigail Rose entered this great big world. And we couldn't be happier. We woke up this morning as a happy family of four and it's great. Here's a little about Abby now:

• rolls from back to belly!!!
• giggles when we kiss her cheeks or neck, and is starting to get a little ticklish on her sides and underarms
• loves to smile
• loves watching Aidan and almost seems to want his attention already
• can pick up a toy
• can transfer a toy from one hand to the other
• can bring toys (and anything else) to her mouth
• sits in the bumbo
• still doesn't love belly time, but tolerates it longer than Aidan ever did
• still loves to cuddle on the boppy with mommy after nursing
• yup, still nursing! {made it past my 3 month goal...now let's see how returning to work goes}
• sleeps great through the night and on most car rides
• is generally pleasant 95% of the day
• loves to be held {it's not spoiling...they're only little for so long and if she's my last baby then I'll hold her all day}
• continues to make us the happiest family

Now, a little about Christmas morning. Abby was up first, so I fed her upstairs and brought her into our bed to share some "happy Abby morning smiles" with Sean figuring Aidan would be up at any moment. When Aidan finally woke up, around 9am, he was happy to see all of us. He was cuddling next to Abby so I took an adorable pic of the two of them in their Christmas jammies. Sean asked him why I was taking a picture of them, with their matching jammies, and what was special about them. Right away he realized it was Christmas morning and told us he was ready to go downstairs. It was so cute. So we went downstairs and he insisted he open all of Abby's gifts for her first before even getting into his...what a good big brother. Then he opened his and loved them all, even the clothes. This year we bought him a kitchen. Now I now I'll hear and have heard he should have gotten a workbench, but honestly there wasn't any I loved and I figure he loves the kitchen at preschool and Abby can have it in a year when Aidan's bored of it. Plus, I'm training him to be a great husband one day. Anyway, the kitchen was covered by a blanket. I asked him to get it so I could lay Abby on it and when he pulled it off he was so surprised. So far it's turned out to be a good gift.

A little bit later Steph, Brian, and Darren came over, and then my mom and Mike. Shortly after that Sean's family came around. Meagan and Colby, Cait, and his parents brought half of the North Pole with them, but maybe it's because we all still exchange that it looks ridiculous. One of these years we'll cut back! It was a fabulous morning followed by a delicious dinner and good company at Sean's Aunt Sue's house with tons of family.

The Tuesday after Christmas we headed down to northern Virginia to visit Sean's aunts and grandparents. Grandmom is in a rehab facility recovering from surgery and a fall, but it was so great to be able to see her and for her to meet Abby. It was also great to see Grandmom's eyes have a little sparkle back to them when she held Abby. We have to treasure moments like those even if it's just for a short time.

Although this was another blessed and wonderful holiday, I can't help feel a little sad that it's passed. I always feel like there's something else we should have done, a photo opportunity missed, a craft I forgot, or just sad that time spent with family is coming to an end. But I have to remember to look at all the fun times we had and memories we made.

{happy}

{Abby's 1st Christmas}

{wow}

{the stockings were hung}

{a happy kiddo}

{worn out abby being protected by toby}

Happy Christmas Eve!

This time last year I was giddy with excitement about getting a "positive" on a pregnancy test taken Christmas Eve morning. I was also a little anxious since I had a miscarriage and could only hope and pray this pregnancy would go full term. Thankfully a year later we have a beautiful four month old baby girl that we love, love, love to pieces. We also have an absolutely adorable and smart little guy who is a fabulous big brother already.

This Christmas Eve after going to mass with Sean's family, we spent some time over at my sister's house for her annual open house. It was filled with yummy food and great guests. It's always a good time had by all.

Can't wait for Christmas morning with our family of four!

Roll over, roll over...

Yay! Our little Abby girl rolled over today! She was laying on her back rolling from side to side. I had to readjust her arm and laid her back down and she rolled right over from back to left side to belly. Sean thought maybe I gave her a little advantage due to the way I laid her down but she later rolled again on her own. Maybe it was the glow of the Christmas tree or wanting to get to her brother, either way, she went! So exciting.

*as of 1/10/12 she has rolled a few times the same direction, but still hasn't rolled from belly to back.

{I did it!}