Too Cute

Shelby's New Head Band

& Michael wearing Shelby's new headband

(He put this on himself)

I don't know if Michael is jealous, I really don't think he is. But he is doing everything Shelby does. If she has a paci he tries to suck on a paci(which he has not used since he was 4 months old). He also tries to drink out of the bottle (broken of that since 11months). He also tries to test the temp of the formula by squirting it onto his wrist. He sits in her bouncer, he climbs into her Jumper, sits in her swing, and loves being in the play pin. I don't get it but he gets a kick out of doing it all. 

M&M

My aunt M&M(Mary Margaret), Uncle Robert, and Cousin Sacha came up from Palo Alto, CA over the weekend for a visit. What prompted this was my cousin's friend was getting married in forest grove so my aunt and uncle decided to accompany her on the trip and make it a visit and oh am I glad they did. I hadn't seen my aunt or uncle since I got married. I don't think I have seen my cousin since I was a little girl, it literally had been years. On Friday we had a BBQ at my place and visited. They got to see Michael at his best, ALL OVER the place. They saw what my mom always describes to them. Saturday we didn't see them because of the wedding. On Sunday they stopped by for a quick visit. We had set up Shelby's bouncer and Michael was playing with it and kept spinning this toy that made so much noise. My uncle said to encourage him to play with it, and that way he would do it less and less. We all laughed at this and tried but he was so into this NEW thing. My mom and them were going out for dinner Sunday night and I was totally bummed I couldn't join them. My husband asked if I could go and I said I can't, we have the kids. Then he said it again, No, DO YOU WANT TO GO? I was shocked. I asked him, "Really?" He said yes, I will stay home with the kids, you go and visit with your family. Oh I was so excited. My mom and relatives were so excited too.

My mom picked me up and then we went to the B&B they were staying at downtown Vancouver. Let me tell you, a diamond in the ruff. It was the cutest place and a nice home away from home. It isn't kid friendly, no one under 12. There is lots of breakables. If you like the older historic home feel, that's the place to go. I loved it. 

We went to a brewery that my cousins friend had suggested in Portland and when we got there it was dead. My uncle said if we would have gone in we probably would have felt the life being sucked out from us. My mom suggested this place called the Kennedy School. She said she drives by it all the time and has heard great things about it. So we went there and oh what fun. It was a converted school. You could walk the halls and go from bar to bar, or restaurant. They have a movie theater and a hotel with a pool. So neat. The food was so yummy. The best part of it was being with my family and LAUGHING. It was so much fun. 

Oops

Oops 

UNDERSTATEMENT

Last Friday I thought I would test out my hair clippin skills on Michael. His hair was long around his ears and the back of the neck. I thought it can't be that hard, it's just a trim. Eh WRONG. I trimmed it but managed to make a complete straight edge and it looked AWFUL. My husband said it wasn't bad at all but my mind was made up, it was bad and it needed to be fixed. The next day I took him to get his hair cut by a professional. I asked them to please fix it but not to make him bald. She asked if they should go with a one and I said well I think that might be too short so they went with a 2. She took a huge swipe with the 2 and my heart sunk. OH IT WAS SOOOO SHORT. Too short for my liking. But she had already removed a large portion so it was too late. She continued to cut my sons beautiful hair to near nothing. I hate it. I hate it being so short. His eyelashes are now longer than his hair. UGH, why did I DO THAT! Thank goodness hair grows back and in time he will have his hair long again.

M.O.M.S

M.O.M.S

Moms Offering Moms Support

Today was my first day attending MOMS and I am so glad I made myself go. Last week was the first day but the group starts at 9:30am and well, we slept in. Today I slept in as well. I was going to roll over and say whatever it's to late I'm going back to sleep but instead I hoped out of bed and was in speed mode and I am so glad I was.

I am so dependant on my husband. I hate doing anything or going anywhere without him, and since he is gone almost all week, I hardly do anything or go anywhere by myself. I also have HUGE issues meeting new people. HUGE issues about my body and people's judgements. I am absolutely terrified of being put on the spot. Being the person everyone stares at. This is why I stay home, this is why I don't like meeting people. but this is why I HAVE TO

MICHAEL AND SHELBY

I have two beautiful children that deserve everything that life has to offer and that means going places and meeting people and not being afraid or shy. Looking up to their mom and seeing a strong confidant person. I am working on that, and MOMS is a step in the right direction.

I dropped Michael off in the age appropriate kid zone area and took Shelby to where all the mommies were meeting. I was late but they hadn't started yet but EVERYONE was seated so I was kinda put on the spot trying to find a place to be seated. That had my anxiety shooting through the roof and I started to sweat, bad. I shut down. The women at my table said hello and I gave quick answers not trying to start at convo at all. There were a couple of speakers and I kept thinking to myself, I can relate to what they are saying but this is not for me, I shouldn't be here, I should leave NOW. But, I stayed, I continued to listen, and then I felt myself  opening up. A topic about personality traits really sparked my interest and I felt myself relax as I could hear other moms saying what personality trait they were. 

Our personalities were compared to Pooh, Tigger, Rabbit, and Eeyore. 

Pooh was very loving and kind and everyones friend

Tigger was very bouncy, playful and usually the one oblivious to his surroundings

Rabbit was the very held back, conscious, stick your schedule type

and Eeyore was the type to have his feelings hurt, very VERY easily and always has the feeling of why me?

Guess who I am?

Eeyore

Not because I filled out a survey or because other moms felt that way about me. It's who I am. I take everything so serious. Take things so seriously and often let it go way too deep. My feelings get hurt so often. 

They were comparing all of these personalities with Facebook. How all these personalities perceive things on FB.

Mine couldn't have been anymore true. I find myself getting upset A LOT when I don't get feedback on my photos or things I say. I feel like I am forgotten about, or that people just don't care. I know most of the time that isn't the case, but it's just me and how I take things.

That is why I was so nervous about being in such a large crowd. I just like being in small groups. Well good news. After the two speakers were done I learned it was time to split up into our rooms. The table I was at went into a room where it was just myself and 8 other girls and it was wonderful. We had a discussion topic on friends and each one of us shared. My voice usually gets really shaky when I talk aloud in a group, but today it didn't. I was so proud of myself. I think it's because we were all there, and we all had something in common, we are all moms. I don't have confidence in myself but I do have that in my kids 110%. I didn't feel like I was doing things right for a long time in the beginning but I am proud of my parenting. So speaking based on being on mommy, I spoke with confidence and I felt SOOOO good. 

The group of girls I was placed with are very nice and I am looking forward to spending time with them and getting to know them. 

Also Michael loves playtime but today and after church let out the last couple weeks, Michael starts to cry as soon as he sees the parents coming. I am not sure if he just wants me, or if it's because he's having fun and doesn't want to leave. Hopefully I can figure out what is getting him upset so we can prevent this from happening in the future. 

I did it

I did it

&

I SURVIVED

I am talking about a trip to the zoo

BY MYSELF

with

2 KIDS

It was the perfect day to go too

Not hot at all, nice overcast

and hardly any people

It was so nice going to each exhibit and being the only ones there or there might be one other family

and for the first time in a long time I was able to hear the animals

It usually is so loud with all the people

it was nice hearing the elephants make noises with their trunks and hear the monkeys call out. 

Michael was so good and didn't mind sitting down while touring the zoo. I love our double stroller that allows Michael to be up front and able to see everything. We had a good time and Michael was so much more into it than he had been in the past. He loved seeing the fish, that was his favorite (I am thinking a trip to the Oregon coast aquarium might be in the near future). He was so interested in almost all the animals and would practically break his neck looking in the exhibits for the animals that he couldn't see right away. 

Shelby slept almost the entire time. Waking up only once to eat and that was when we were halfway through and it was time for Michael and I to take a break anyway. She is such a good little girl and a very sleepy baby (Michael was the same way at her age) 

This creeped me out. We were looking at all the fish when I noticed this head with orange eyes just hovering above the water. CREEPY. Haha. 

Sorry about the flash but click the pic to enlarge 

Michael liked this little guy or gal? It was laying in a corner right next to the window and just watched Michael  as he pointed. He kept say tabby (she is our orange cat at home). 

Mama's Instinct

Recently I switched Shelby from regular formula to a formula for lactose sensitivity. The reason I made this switch is because pretty much since we brought Shelby home, she had watery stools in every diaper. There was no little white pebbles, no nothing, just colored liquid. She had also been very fussy during feeding, and always gassy afterwards. I just had this feeling deep in my gut that her little tummy wasn't handling this type of formula so I went with my mama instinct and made the switch. Its now been two weeks and my little girl is now going #2 every other day and its a good soft texture with the little white pebbles. She also is eating much more and not having so much trouble getting the formula down. Since the switch she has also started sleeping through the night. I am happy that she is doing better and that I went with my gut maternal instinct. 

Look at all that hair

My sweet little Shelby's hair is growing so fast. She was born with so much hair and it thinned out a little but she still had quite a bit of hair. These past few weeks I have noticed it getting longer and thicker. I am also noticing changes in her hair. Her hair will dry super curly, then be stick straight, then go to wavy with volume. Who knows what this girls hair is going to be like when it gets longer! 

*Side note: The doctor encouraged me to comb her hair while I was giving her a bath. It would help stimulate hair growth and also help prevent cradle cap. So far, it has accomplished both :)

Happy Girl

She's a swingin

Feels Good

The other day while at Freddy's, we were standing at the deli and this lady was staring, and I mean STARING, hard at my children, it's like she was lost looking at them. I finally locked eyes with her and she apologized and told me my children were just absolutely beautiful.

that little sentence made my day

my kids ARE BEAUTIFUL

it also made me feel good about myself. I do not get these compliments about myself and to hear someone say that about my kids, that I created, just makes me feel good. 

I told this story to my friend, and she asked me if I ever think that I am beautiful."Do I look at my children and see what looks they got from me, that I find beautiful in them, do I find beautiful in myself.?"

up until she asked me that, no, I really don't think about it. I know what certain body parts they got from me, but I find it adorable on them but don't relate that to myself. 

It does feel good however knowing that people think my kids are beautiful, and that makes me feel a little beautiful to :)

Planning Ahead

Lately I have been thinking about what to do for Michael's 2nd birthday. I am such a procrastinator so I am doing my best to get my ideas laid out and start to get things done before his big day. We are going to have his birthday party at officers row in the park. I wanted it to be out in the open so he can see and hear airplanes; since this is his favorite thing. We recently went there and spent most of an afternoon and that boy got so excited anytime he saw or heard an airplane(this only got me excited for his party). I have some cute ideas I found searching around on google. I am excited to start creating his airplane themed party, even more excited that come October 14, I am officially going to have a 2 YEAR OLD! 

I LOVE

I LOVE

That my son is getting to an age where he can be on his own and listen to my requests

That Michael is able to help me pick up his toys, open the gate, get into his car seat, close doors, the list goes on and on

Michael giving Shelby kisses at random times and that he is so concerned when she cries

That my son is not Jealous of his Little sister

How excited Michael gets when there is a airplane in the sky, especially small personal planes 

When Michael and Landon play together, oh the giggles and tail wags :)

When Shelby looks at me with a watchful eye and just cracks into a HUGE GRIN

That my husband works so hard to support our family, even though we are separated from one another most of the time.

The cool summer nights

I love being a wife and mother

The simple things in life are the best of life, and life is good :)