Colton 8 Months

Wow! I just can't believe it has been 8 months already! And, just to top things off, Colton sprouted his first tooth the same day! It FINALLY broke through and it wasn't one of his eye teeth that we thought it was going to be! It was the same one Caitlin got first....the bottom right one. He is really close to crawling. It seems that every day he gets on all fours more and more. Food ( in any form) is still his favorite. Tonight (while we were cleaning up BBQ sauce---another story----Caitlin kept on saying "Colton share." Finally, we turned around and saw that she was sharing her green beans with Colton! He was happily gnawing on it and wasn't too thrilled when Dennis took it away. Have no fear, it was promptly replaced with puffs. It will be really nice if he continutes his oh so happy willingness to eat anything...edible, that is.

Okay, now the BBQ story. I made tater tots to go with our breakfast burritos tonight for dinner. I know, you're thinking "Tater tots with breakfast burritos?" Yes, it's not common, but we have been out of the good tater tots (the ABC kind) for a while and I had made regular fried potatoes on Monday and wasn't really in the mood for them again....but I digress. So, Dennis likes to dunk his TTs in a spicy BBQ sauce. Since it is made locally, it separates and needs to be shaken vigorously......and that is exactly what I began to do when the lid came flying off and BBQ sauce went EVERYWHERE! Thankfully, Dennis had just rotated Colton in his arms and the sauce just barely missed him! It was so funny and all I could do was stand there and giggle to myself for a while. Good thing tomorrow is Thorough Thursday!

My wonderful friend Nancy came over today for a visit to chat and play with Caitlin. It's been a while since I've seen her, so I was very happy to see her. Then just after she left I got a text from my other really good friend I haven't seen in a while either, and she's coming over for a visit next week! It's great to be surrounded by good friends, family, and an awesome husband!

Colton's First ER Visit

Oh my! Last night was quite a night. Colton woke up around 11pm breathing really funny. He went to bed just fine...no runny nose, cough, or even crying. When he woke up it sounded like he had something in his throat and was wheezing. I thought he may be choking on something, but there was nothing in his mouth we could see.....so we decided to take him in. Thankfully, the ER does not fool around with children and we were rushed in. Colton was still upset and crying and he just sounded horrible! They listened to his lungs and asked if he had been coughing and what it sounded like. I told them he had coughed a few times on the way over, but I couldn't recall what it sounded like. In the end, they said he has Croup. He had an x-ray, a breathing treatment, and an oral medication. After the breathing treatment, he was SOOO much better! The x-ray showed nothing in his lungs....thank goodness! The x-ray guy was by far his favorite person....Colton just couldn't stop smiling at him! We got out of there in just under 2 hours and he fell asleep shortly after we got home. And when he woke up this morning, he sounded and acted like nothing had ever happened! I really hope he doesn't wake up like that again, but at least this time we'll know what's going on.

First Soccer Class

Caitlin had her soccer class tonight and it was a lot of fun. She was the only one who cried, which is a huge shocker if you've ever been around when she's taken a tumble. She was a bit shy at first and Dennis stood with her for the first part. Then she was comfortable enough to play on her own, but then she collided with another girl which brought on the tears. I took her out to get a drink of water and she was ready to go by the time we got back. I think she had a really good time. She definitely didn't want to leave. We have a basketball class on Thursday but I think we are going to postpone it until later.

No Nap

I didn't think it would happen so soon! I think Caitlin has officially reached the no nap stage! A total bummer! She hasn't been wanting to take a nap when when have playgroup or library, and today (with none of the above) she didn't want to go down at all! The only naps she has been getting is on the couch with Dennis on the weekend. This whole no nap thing will take some getting use to....especially if she becomes really crabby in the late afternoon evenings. A week ago Monday, she was so crazy she seemed like a completely different child! It may all just be worth it if we have less drama when it's time for her to go to bed.

Tonight, Caitlin has her first soccer class! We are really looking forward to it and I will post pictures as soon as I can.

Oh, and Thorough Thursdays have been going very well.

A Week of Events

After almost a year of staying home with the kids, I have finally filled up the week with activities....at least for the next month or two. We have been going to the Library on Fridays for storytime which has been loads of fun and today, I just filled up the other four days of the week. My friend called this morning to tell me about a free playgroup on Monday and Wednesday mornings. So we got ready in record time to meet them down there. Caitlin AND Colton had a great time! There was plenty of things to do for the both of them and since it was all indoors, we didn't have to worry about the weather! I was really happy they had an area for babies and Colton was happy about that too. They even had circle time and a snack. We left around 11:30am and I thought for sure Caitlin would be asleep in no time..... apparently, I was wrong. After 45 minutes of trying to get her to fall asleep, I gave up. She has been pretty melty so we may actually have no problem when it's time for her to go to bed tonight.

Anyway, while we were there, I signed her up for soccer on Tuesdays and basketball on Thursdays. Dennis and I were planning on doing that today anyway, but it's just kinda funny that most of our new activities are all in the same place! This schedule will take us until mid May and then we'll have to see what's next! I'm super excited!!!!!!

Thorough Thursdays

I declare that Thursdays will now be referred to as Thorough Thursdays. This means I will make an attempt to clean the house every Thursday. I'm talking sweep, mop, bathrooms, and laundry! Plus, I will try to include one non-usual cleaning spot....say the medicine cabinet. I have decided to do this because I really hate to clean....organizing, I love...but cleaning, I despise. Most people would say to clean one thing a day to make it seem like no big deal. But that means that I would be cleaning something EVERYDAY! I prefer just to get it over and done with. So last Thursday before my brother and his girlfriend came over, I cleaned the house like above...and it wasn't so bad. Then today I did the same thing. It actually feels really good getting it all done in one swoop and not having to worry about when I'll get to the floors or the bathroom. I discovered that if I put on a show for Caitlin and get Colton down for a nap, I have plenty of time to accomplish my tasks. I so hope I can keep this up!

Now, don't get to thinking that I am the only cleaner in the house. This is only a recent development for me. Dennis is most definitely the cleaner in the house. He does the dishes, vacuuming, trash, bathrooms (every single surface), dusting (ooo, my LEAST favorite)......you name it, he cleans it. However, since I'm home with the kids, I should really try and make more of an effort. Therefore, Thorough Thursdays has been declared!

Nook Color

This is my very first post using my nook Color! I am emailing this in
because I haven't quite figured out how to type my message because the
little keyboard does not pop up in the post box....weird. Anyway, I
am loving my nook and I am very happy I chose this ereader rather than
a kindle. I just love that I can check out books for free on here and
have web axcess...especially since I am sitting in Caitlin's doorway
waiting for her to fall asleep. She slept well last night but she did
not have a nap. We have thought about giving up her naps but she goes
down for them very easily and when she does not nap, she is a bit high
maintanence (sorry about spelling...I do not have spell check). So I
just don't know what to do and I keep going back and forth about them.
Tomorrow I will be taking her to daycare where she usually is too
excited to nap so we will see if without another nap, she falls asleep
okay.

Back to the nook...it is heavier than most ereaders I think,but since
this is my first one, it doesn't make any difference to me. The
screen is very pretty and I have already read 2 1/2 books for free on
it! The screen can get very bright and for the most part I keep it
dimmed because I haven't needed it to be super bright yet. The real
test will be when I have it in bright sun...which(considering where I
live) will be a while.

Alright, I must go. Caitlin is asleep and I must get ready for
bed...which is precisely the time that Colton will decide to wake up.
:)

Food Finds

Caitlin is a grazer. She pretty much snacks all day long, stopping for the occasional breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Her snacks tend to wind up in containers of all sorts. Many of them are part of her kitchen "toys." Some have even made their way into her vehicles. It took us at least two weeks to find her milk cup (full of milk) in the trunk of her push car.....yuck!

The other day she had to go potty. So I left Colton surrounded by toys on the living room floor while I helped her in the bathroom. I came out to check on Colton and found him gnawing on a granola bar! Caitlin had wedged it down into her wooden teapot and Colton managed to maneuver it out and into his mouth! Thank goodness he didn't choke! But he was so MAD that I took it away. I felt bad, but a granola bar is above his skill level...at least for now anyway.

Well then tonight I put him in the exersaucer while I was cooking in the kitchen and noticed he was quieter than usual. I came out to find him eating one of Caitlin's peanut butter sandwich crackers! She had two hidden on top of it and Colton was going to town on one! Again I took it away and he was really mad about that. I guess now we'll no if he has a peanut allergy. Oh my. So in the spirit of his adventurous eating, I gave him his first sweet potato puffs.....and he loved them! I have to help him get it into his mouth, but he sure does enjoy them once their in!

And to avoid any mishaps, I will be triple checking all containers and surfaces before putting Colton down....you never no what that Caitlin Marie will stuff into a container of any kind.

Pain

Way back in November, I had a filling that needed to be replaced.....and that is where all my pain began. The new filling was uneven and caused quite a bit of jaw pain. After having it fixed, all the pain went away, except a new born sensitivity to hot and cold. When that became too much, it was decided I need a root canal a few days before Christmas. The first visit left me with a HORRIBLE taste in my mouth that lasted for weeks. The pain wasn't so bad. At the end of January, I had the second installment on my root canal. No bad taste, a little more pain afterwards, but really no problem. The third time (and I thought the last) went much faster, however within a few days my jaw was killing me! I finally gave in and went back to the dentist. He took out the temporary and put in cotton....yes, cotton. This provided much relief and I went back this Tuesday to get the temporary put back in. Well, last night my tooth erupted in an overflow of pain! Since I'm nursing I can only take Tylenol or Advil. The pain was so bad I had to piggyback them every two hours. The pain finally calmed down enough for me to sleep. So back to the dentist I went this morning....for the SIXTH time! He took out the temporary and put in more cotton to relieve the pressure. He finally gave me an antibiotic that I can take while nursing to help clear up any infection that may be lingering. Now (if my pain stays away) I go back in on Tuesday to get my temporary put BACK in and then Friday (hopefully) my root canal will be finished! This whole situation has been a complete nightmare!.....okay, a HUGE nightmare! I really hope I stay pain free for the next several days to make it to Tuesday.

Blah

My brain is a scrambled mess right now. I can't think or even blog straight. I feel like there are a few hundred bees in my head....and it's not the caffeine. There are so many what if's about my employment future, I feel like I'm about to snap. I really just need to calm down and let things unfold for the next few months. But it's just so hard knowing that what you've been wanting for years is just at your fingertips, and yet still so far away. Aaaahhhhh!

Colton 6 Months

Colton's first snow day was also the day he turned 6 months old! He has his checkup next week, but the last time I weighed him he weighed 19 1/2 pounds! Last night was pretty rough for him...and me too. He is teething and the poor little guy is just uncomfortable. Normally, babies tend to get their top or bottom teeth in first, but Colton's eye teeth are coming in first! These were the most painful for Caitlin. Because of his teeth, his naps and nights have been all over the place. So he was up early this morning for about an hour and then fell back asleep for another hour. He didn't really take his normal morning nap and was really wanting to go to sleep around 11am. However, we had company over and I brought him out to play. It turns out that was a good plan. I put him down at noon and he's still napping! Caitlin is napping too! Oh, but it sounds like she's awake now....and the boy too! I must go investigate!

Snow!

Yesterday I was driving in a blizzard and today we wake up to snow on the ground! This hardly ever happens here and when it does, everyone gets so excited!

When I was driving on the freeway, I just couldn't believe how hard it was snowing. It was like I was in Y-town again! Plus, the snow was sticking EVERYWHERE making it interesting to drive in. There was quite a bit of slush building up on the freeway and I thought for sure the mail truck ahead of me was going to slide of the road....thankfully, it didn't.

The sun is coming out now, so we should probably get the kids in it before it all melts away!

Napping Milestone

Today, Caitlin took a nap without a pull up or diaper for the first time! And, she woke up dry!!! Like I said a few posts ago, she'd been waking up dry for a good while, so I picked today to try it out. I almost forgot and mindlessly put her in a pull up, but thankfully Dennis was there to remind me of my plan. We are so proud of her! She got an extra special treat when she woke up....a sour licorice rope.

Colton has really been enjoying his adventure with food. He had carrots with apples today and ate them with gusto! I made 9 jars of baby food today. Along with the carrots w/ apples, I made butternut squash and mango w/ pear. I was also going to make yams, but Colton woke up from his very short nap, so I didn't have time. I have a few jars left in the freezer so it's no biggy.

Alright, it's time for me to dig into yet another Sookie Stackhouse novel!

Caitlin petting her first goat at our zoo.

Food for Thought

Have you ever seen a particular food item and immediately thought of a person? When I see or think about certain foods, I associate people with that food. It's odd, but hey, it's me we're talking about! So here is some food for thought:

Noodley Doodleies - a.k.a. Ramen Noodles -- I always think of my Nana because my cousins and I ALWAYS had these after school at her house

Squeeze Cheese - another after school Nana food

French Toast - my uncle Ray because it was decided he makes the best

Pancakes - my dad because when I was little, my cousins Amy and Clint, decided he made the best

Brussel Sprouts - my sister LOVES them and would probably eat them every day if she could

Lasagna - my aunt Donna because she makes the best

Mushrooms - my mom because she puts them in everything

Diet Mt. Dew - Nancy because it's her thing

Pulled Pork - Caitlin because it's what I craved when I was pregnant with her

Vinegar - my older brother because he doesn't like anything with vinegar

Tomatoes - my little brother because he can't stand them

Lay's potato chips - my father-in-law because they're his favorite

Strawberries - my nephew Hunter because he LOVES them and eats them even if they are green

Malibu Rum - Dyani because it was the second craziest night next to NYC

Soup - this is a tie...my step-mom because she makes really good soup and my niece Kayla because she will eat it in 100 degree weather

Chocolate Cake - Kelly because she loves it and we always have some form of it when ever we visit

I'm sure I can relate a person to everything I eat, but that post would take forever and we all have things to do today :)

Two Weeks

When can you say a child is potty trained? Is it when they can go all day using the potty or when they stop needing to use a pull up during their sleep as well? Maybe it's a combination. Either way, I'd say Caitlin is mostly potty trained. Today marks two weeks that Caitlin has been consistently using the potty during the day. And for about a week now, she's been waking up dry from her nap. I am still in awe at how well she's doing and how NOT stressful it has been. It's funny, there are quite a few books on potty training and how to potty train in one day or a weekend, but there is something to be said for taking your time. When I was in college I watched a little girl during her potty training stage. Her parents had read one of those books and used some of the listed strategies. It was the most stressful week watching her....ever! And, it just didn't work. It seemed the whole family, including the little girl, was stressed out by the venture. So after that first week, things slowed WAY down and she eventually went back to diapers. Having this only experience with potty training, I was a bit nervous about how to go about training Caitlin.

We started in the simplest way when Caitlin was almost a year and a half by putting her on the potty before her nightly bath. Dennis and I have had the mentality, when ever she's potty trained, she's potty trained. We never had a specific date we were shooting for, but took things day by day. The hardest part was for me to take the leap to switch her from pull-ups to panties during the day. Once that happened, BAM, she got it within a few days. Then she became more consistent and started telling US that she had to go!

We are so proud of her......and so excited for her! In fact, we ventured out of the house on Tuesday without a diaper or pull-up on! It was a very quick trip, but a HUGE first for us. If she continues to wake up dry from her nap, I may just put her down without a pull-up! And of course, I will keep you all updated on her progress.

Happy Birthday Aunt Donna

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNT DONNA!!!!!! I hope you have a wonderful (and not too wet) day! Although, all the rain will do wonders for your beautiful flowers around your house.

My aunt always has the most beautiful yard. She loves to garden and I have fond memories of her gardening and pruning her gorgeous flowers. I also remember her making the best lasagna I've ever had! I haven't had it in YEARS, but it had thin layers of noodles and lots of cheese. She also introduced me to the deliciousness of butter on saltines as a child! Mmmmm. I wish I had some saltines right now.

Happy birthday Aunt Donna!

Happy Birthday Bill and Jason

Today...okay yesterday, was my cousin Jason's birthday and it was also my little brother's birthday too! My little bro turned a whopping 30 years old!!!!! For him to turn 30, makes me feel even older than I am!

I hope these two had wonderful birthdays!

Superbowl Weekend

Touchdown! Caitlin and I were a bit under the weather on Superbowl Sunday, but we made the most of it. We layed around the house and I made sliders for dinner. The first touchdown of the game, struck the pose above, which had us laughing quite hysterically. The next day she actually did the same thing when they were replaying the first TD of the game....uuber funny. Anyway, we danced our way through the half time performance of the Black Eyed Peas (as we are all big fans) and Colton found himself in a box sometime around the end of the game.....although, I think Dennis may have had something to do with that. Colton seemed to enjoy the box because he certainly wasn't making any effort or complaining to get out.

Most every morning I find Caitlin covering up Colton with her blanket. This is a HUGE deal because she LOVES this blanket (I can't even pretend to use it). On this particular morning, during tummy time, Caitlin decided to join her brother....wild hair and all.

And while I type Colton is happily snoozing on the couch beside me and Dennis and Caitlin are napping in her room. And in about 17 minutes, I'm going to have to put an end to their nap party.

Oh, and tonights dinner.....PULLED PORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait!!!!!!!!!

Colton 5 Months

Again, this is a bit late. I finally managed to upload photos on the main computer and the laptop. It's been a while! Colton is growing like a weed! He's really trying to crawl, but can't quite figure it out. When his knees go up, his face goes into the carpet and when he straightens his arms, his little knees go flat. It's quite funny to watch. Caitlin still loves him a LOT and I'm surprised he doesn't have more to say about this since most of her loving involves squishing him in some sort of way.....which I can't blame her because he's so squishable!

Colton's first bite of food....squash! He didn't necessarily like the squash, but he liked the eating part. We have since tried applesauce, pears, peas, and peaches. He eats the ENTIRE jar without hesitation and acts like he really wants more! So far, I'm keeping him to one jar for a while.

The other day I walked in the living room to find Caitlin reading Colton a story. You couldn't understand a word she was saying, but she was definitely telling him a story and turning the pages as well. Super adorable.

Oh, and last night Caitlin and I did a puzzle together and she matched all the colors up without me helping....at all!!! Dennis and I couldn't believe it! We're so proud! Oh, and potty training has been going exceptionally well. The only time we've had to change a diaper in the last 5 days is after she wakes up. And yesterday, I got her a special magazine to read while on the potty! It's a National Geographic for little kids! It's about 6" by 6" and has thicker pages than a normal magazine. The photos are beautiful and it has fun rhyming and sound games! I'm definitely going to have to get a subscription!

Curried Away

Hahaha! But not for Colton. It turns out the curry I had on our anniversary did not sit well with Colton. He woke up screaming several times and I couldn't calm him down. Thankfully, Dennis came in the first time he woke up and calmed him down pretty quickly. And last night, Colton was much better...only waking up to nurse. So I guess no more curry for me....at least Indian curry. I also may need to watch my spicy food intake.

And now I don't feel good. I think I caught what the kids had. I'm tired, my head hurts...in fact, my whole face hurts. I have a slight sore throat and my skin hurts, which makes me think that I may be developing a fever.....I so can't wait. Thank goodness I did all my grocery shopping this morning before I felt too bad.

Oh, I must go. It sounds like one of the children is awake and I can't quite tell which one.

TGIF!!!!