10 months

Oh my goodness, I keep telling myself I'm not really sitting down to write this 10 month blog post. Maybe that's why I skipped the 9 month one. Maybe, just maybe, I'm in denial that my baby is so close to turning a year old. And that, folks, I'm a little sad about. I know with Aidan I was excited to get to all the milestones, partly because they were new, and partly because it was exciting and fun. With Abby though, it's only new to her, and knowing that she may be my last baby I want time to slow down to a crawl. I want those milestones to happen, but at a much slower pace. And guess what? They are happening sooner with her than with him. As much as I want her to be that wonderful smelling newborn, she is an amazing little almost toddler baby girl. So, enough of my sob story about how I'm not ready for her to grow up so fast and on to what this little cutie is up to lately:

• crawling super fast, especially when you chase her or tell her no
• can pull herself to standing, and sometimes lets go
• walks behind "Rocket" walking toy 
• can climb steps
• has 5 teeth (as of 7/3) middle bottom and top two and right top
• says mama, gaga (for dada and most things), gog (for dog), and makes a whole lot of other noise
• loves to squeal, especially if Aidan is playing around with her
• has the most adorable little giggle ever, seriously
• loves to go for walks in the wagon and stroller
• has had a few tastes of vanilla ice cream, and loves it!
• still wearing size 3 diapers
• wearing 12 months clothes
• still nursing (yay! and sooo much cheaper than formula)
• likes most baby foods, but isn't so happy with finger foods
• loves puffs, sometimes likes baby goldfish crackers, likes graham crackers   
• tries to blow kisses, but usually just pats her mouth and hums at the same time
• gives lots of open mouth slobbery kisses
• hugs, and will sometimes even pat you on the back if you pat her back first
• requires a baby gate system unlike Aidan so she doesn't get into everything, especially the tv

So, that's a little about our baby girl. Oh, one more thing, a few months ago I was so excited to be "pinning" all kinds of ideas and things to do/make/have for her birthday party. Now, nothing. I'm in complete denial that it's happening so soon. I have this dream party in my head that could have been accomplished if I started working on it before vacation, but I didn't, and I'm a little mad at myself but also sad that she'll be one so soon. Oh well, it'll be great and she'll be one and we'll continue to love and adore her as much and even more than we do now.

My thoughts on life right now:

Really? 10 months already?

She makes me SO happy.

Seeing her and Aidan together is the best ever.

{enjoying vacation in NWW}

PS- If someone can help me make it so behind the words is not white that would be great. It's ultra-annoying to me but I have no idea how to fix it. One of these days I'm going to take a class on how to make my blog better. Maybe right after I take the class to learn how to use my DSLR on something besides auto. ;)

Tooth #3

Abby's top right tooth made its breakthrough today! Hopefully this means she'll be sleeping and eating a little better. Of course it also means she can bite with some force now...not so fun for me.

Quite exciting for sure. There's so much that she's been doing lately. I'll have a big list in her ten month blog post, which will also be the nine month one since somehow the month went way faster than expected...or I'll just backdate ;)

Father's Day gift-pinned

Well, it might be a day late, but I successfully completed a Pinterest project for Sean. He has a bazillion tickets that he'll have to go through and maybe just put the important ones in here. He's been saving them since we started hanging out, I kid you not.

This was so simple that I want to do one each for Abby and Aidan for their hospital newborn stuff...hat, bracelet, etc.

I got a shadowbox frame, sheet of scrapbook paper, and I had the sticky letters. I cut the paper to the sizes I wanted and then used spray adhesive to stick it all on the back inside of the frame. The one piece of paper that doesn't have the sheen to it is just the reverse of the shiny paper. So simple.

{ticket shadowbox}

My thoughts on life right now:

One pinterest project down, a hundred to go! :)

the gift of life

Generally when I blog about the gift of life I'm talking about a new baby, however this time it's completely different. Today my mom is having a kidney transplant, and her living donor is her husband and my stepdad, Mike. They are at UPenn doing the transplant and then recovery for a few days.
My mom found out she had only one and a half kidneys when she had kidney stones around the time of my sister's birth. She has Focal Segmental Glomeruloscerosis. She had always been monitored and then just recently, after battling breast cancer with chemo and radiation treatments and winning {5 years cancer free this summer!}, her kidney function decreased to 11% total. Last fall it was decided she would have a transplant and by a miracle Mike was a match. My mom's a fighter and I know she'll be just fine.

{my mom and Mike at Christmas}

5 more...

Ugh, 5 more stinking pounds or at least that's what I think it is since I'm avoiding the scale is how much I need to lose to get to my ideal weight. You know, the weight that I should have hit on April 26th when I turned the big 3-0? I think part of the reason I'm having a hard time losing it is because I didn't reach that goal I set so I just let myself go. I stopped running, stopped going to the gym, stopped counting calories. Wow. What can I expect when I let myself down? I'd like to blame it on lack of sleep and trust me-it's been lacking, being really busy (I have), but there's at least 20 minutes in my day where I'm sitting on my bum doing nothing and I could take that time to get moving.

So, it's time to get back on the weight loss wagon. I'm tired of feeling bad about myself, hiding from mirrors, not fitting into clothes. I want to feel pretty, confident, and fit into my own clothes and maybe a few new ones too. I need to get off my bum and get moving. If only there was a magic mirror to erase the extra weight in those few places I hate to see it at.

My thoughts on life right now:
What a crappy post. Sorry. 
Had to get this out in hopes of motivating myself. 

30 Before 30

1. Saw Niagara Falls.

2. Flew on a plane.

3. Went to a Broadway show.

4. Won $10,000 from iwon.com. {boy I wish I had that now}

5. Rode in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association Nationals.

6. Graduated from college with a master's degree.

7. Snorkeled off the shores of Punta Cana.

8. Went to Europe.

9. Went on the London Eye and walked around the city.

10. Went to the top of the Eiffel Tower and visited both Paris and the French Countryside. 

11. Leased my own horse, Warrior, for a few years.

{Warrior-retired sulky racing standardbred}

12. Got engaged in a fairytale-like way.

13. Bought a house.

14. Got married.

15. Jumped off a cliff at Xel Ha in Riviera Maya, Mexico. 

16. Began a career of teaching special education.

17. Saw Letterman live in NYC.

18. Had a baby boy.

19. Established a family tradition of a North Wildwood summer vacation.

20. Taught 1st-4th graders in some combination/point in my career.

21. Started this blog.

22. Reliving the magic of Santa and childhood through my children's eyes.

23. Got a fancy DSLR camera with hopes of one day learning all its features.

24. Became a member of the Philadelphia Zoo.

25. Had a miscarriage and learned so much from it.

26. Had a baby girl.

27. Went through RCIA and finally became a confirmed Catholic.

28. Became an aunt.

29. Ran my first 5k, and then a couple more.

{Phillies Charities 5k 4.28.12}

30. Fell in love with my husband, over and over again.   

Well, my first 30 years were pretty amazing, and I know that my next 30 will be just as spectacular with my family by my side. 

8 months

What a busy month for you little girl! You celebrated your first Easter, and shortly after got your first tooth. It is the lower left. Within a week the lower right was in also. Here's a little more that you've been up to:

• sleep is not your #1 priority, whether it be a nap or night time...mommy hopes this changes soon
• two teeth, and maybe more to arrive soon
• your bond with Aidan grows stronger every day
• you say "mama" and it melts my heart
• I think "gaga" is daddy, but he isn't so sure
• Aidan thinks you may have said his name a few times too, maybe not, but you sure try
• love to babble
• you hide your face in my chest or arm when you get shy
• roll all over the place
• trying so hard to crawl
• get on hands and feet with hiney in the air, but not really rocking on hands and knees
• can push yourself backwards when laying on your belly
• sit completely unsupported
• went to your first Phillies game
• wearing 9 months clothes, but will soon be in 12
• still in size 3 diaper (and 4 is a long way away, I hope)
• taking 1-2 bottles a day at while mommy is at work, and still nursing
• eating stage 2 foods, with a few stage 3's starting
• hate puffs still, but will gnaw on the biter biscuits
• no longer swaddled, sleep on your side at times, and rarely roll to sleep on your belly
• love to play with toys
• sometimes hold a phone or something to your ear which looks like you're talking on it
• love to be held
• enjoy being read to
• love taking walks and being an observer like Aidan

{1st tooth ~ 4.9.12}

{your new cousin Landon Cole}

{you share an amazing bond}

{1st Phillies game}

Oh Abby girl, we love you so so much. You have brought a love and light into our worlds that can not even be put into words. You give us such a full and complete feeling. That doesn't mean mommy has decided she's done having babies, that's God's choice and mommy doesn't quite feel done yet either. You continue to amaze us every day, bringing joy with every little smile and coo. Thank you for being you even when you don't sleep and being such a wonderful little girl. 

My thoughts on life right now:

8 months? Seriously? 

Where did the time go?

I've already starting thinking about her 1st birthday party.

Packing her too-small clothes away made me sad.

I'm excited for the memories to be made.