3 Months!!!!!!

That's right! My sweet baby girl is 3 months old as of 9:07pm! I can't believe it! Ugh! TOO FAST! AND 3 more days until vacation!!! WOO WOO! There's not much to tell that I haven't already talked about on my blog... she rolled over from belly to back twice last week, she is cooing a LOT and laughing a little. She is in love with I love Lucy, LOL, and I am more and more in love with her everyday!

I stole this off of a fellow mommy blog... it's another survey. I know. I do these a lot. It passes the time when I can't sleep though! LOL!

Getting to Know MOMMY!

1. If you have pets, do you see them as merely animals or are they members of your family?

We have Snickers and Mudgett. They were my babies before Elah came along... but now they're just dogs. I still love them and think they are great (atleast most of the time), but they don't even come close to Miss Elah!

2. If you could have a dream come true, what would it be?
I would love to find our dream home at a decent price before Summer 2012... atleast three bedrooms, hopefuly atleast two bathrooms... a huge laundry room, a great fenced in backyard, a large porch, a stainless steel kitchen for my hubby, and a neighborhood safe for my kids to grow up in!

3. What would you do with a billion dollars?
Pay off school loans and other debts, buy our dream home, make a college fund for Elah (and enough for future kids), and pay off our parent's debts and help Nanny with anything she needs. The rest would be split between savings and various charities.

4. What helps to pull you out of a bad mood?
The quickest thing... seeing Elah smile. Nothing pulls me out of a rotten mood better than that!

5. What is your bedtime routine?
We try to do tummy time or some sort of play time from 7-8pm, and then she usually starts fussing, so we get her ready for a bath/shower. I usually nurse her while we are in the shower, if she decides she's hungry, and just soak in the water after we wash her to relax her. We get her dried and dressed in her jammies and then we go lay down in the bed and if I didn't already nurse her in the shower, I nurse her until she falls asleep. If I already nursed her then I pop the pacifier in her mouth and lay down with her and snuggle until she falls asleep... transfer her to her co-sleeper and then we're done for the night! Now... with that said... the last few nights have NOT gone that way because baby girl is teething :( but usually that's how it goes!

6. What activities did you do in high school? If you could go back, would you do the same stuff or something different?
I was in marching band, symphonic band, chambor choir, jazz band, BETA club, FCA, student government.... and then I was involved with our church youth group, the youth praise band, the adult praise band, I played in a blues band... and I think that's it! I would do the same stuff, it was a wonderful learning experience through it all!

7. What kind of books do you read?
I'm not gonna lie. I LOVE juvenile/teen fiction... like all the vampire series: Twilight Saga, House of Night series, Vampire Academy series, and Blue Bloods.... yea really. I love Percy Jackson... 39 Clues, and there are so many more. I also like Karen Kingsbury's books... she's a GREAT Christian fiction writer. I LOVE to read... and can't wait to start reading with Elah!

8. How do you see yourself in 10 years?
I hope to have 3 more kids by then, homeschooling the ones old enough, living in our dream home, and possibly finishing or starting on my Master's!

9. What's your fear?
That something would happen to Elah that I can't control, that someday I won't be able to stay home with my children, and that it will take a LONG time to have another baby when we decide to TTC again.

10. Would you give up all junk food for the rest of your life for the opportunity to see outer space?
Hm. No. I have no desire to get in a ship and shoot through the sky into a no gravity zone. I like my feet firmly on the ground thank you!

11. What's the first thing you do when you wake up?
Which time? LOL Elah wakes up 3-4 times before we get up for the day... those are all between 3-9am. The first few times I change her and nurse her and then cuddle with her til we both fall asleep. When we get up for the day I get Elah nudey and we do tummy time and play until she's too tired to play anymore. I dress her for the day, nurse her, and then she naps!

12. If you could change one thing about your significant other, what would it be?
LOL! Hmmmm.... I'd change his hairline so that he'd have more hair upfront....


JUST KIDDING BABY! I couldn't help myself ;-)

13. If you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be?
I used to really hate my name, but it's MY name... common or not!

14. If you could choose between six months of sun or six months of rain, what would you choose?
WARM SUN.... I'm so tired of rain/snow/sleet and cold weather!

15. If you could only eat one thing for the next 6 months, what would it be?
Hot Wings!!!!!
16. What is the thing you enjoy about blogging the most?
I love that my family who live out of town can get updates on Elah, I love that I can vent freely because it's MINE... and I love that someday Elah can read this and see how much we truely wanted her and loved her!

17. Do you prefer salty or sweet food?
Sweet please!

18. What items are in your purse right now?
There's nothing in it... when I DO carry it I usually throw my wallet, a pen, the checkbook, chapstick, antibacterial gel, cell, keys, and nursing pads in. Now... I usually carry Elah's diaper bag... and it usually has 2 cloth dipes (or more if we are going to be gone all day), a pouch of cloth wipes, wipe solution, antibacterial gel, extra paci's, gas drops, tylenol, nasal drops, wet bag, change of clothes for Elah, nursing pads, lanolin, my cell, my wallet, keys, a water bottle, and my wallet bible :)

19. Name 3 things on your bucketlist?
Have 3 more kids, travel to Europe, take my kids to Disney World!

20. What do you watch on television that you shouldn't?
Haha! Probably everything...!

Mommy Brain... I will defeat you!

I made our "home binder" today! Yes, I am actually excited about a notebook full of paper with budgets, lists, and calendars. Call me a nerd... I dare you! On a more serious note though, this is really going to help our little family get back on track financially, schedule wise, and menu planning wise.

I haven't taken any pictures, but I thought I'd atleast share what I did with it. I got my templates and printouts from several different sites I'll list at the end of this post, and I used other sites for resources. I made 8 dividers with these categories:

Today/This Week: Contains printouts of weekly to do lists and reminders and daily sheets with reminders

Calendar: This is exactly what it says, a calendar. Each sheet has a different month and we will use this to keep track of due dates for our bills, appointments, and other important dates

Menu Planner: Weekly menu planner w/shopping lists

Elah: This has info on appointments, vaccines, etc. This folder will have different things in it depending on what we need handy for her!

Finances: This has a monthly budget log and a log of what we need to save for, how much needs to be saved, and when we want the total amount saved by

Vacation: Currently, this has info for the trip we're taking next week, a budget sheet for the things we want to do (we are going to stay UNDER budget!), tickets we've already purchased for the aquarium and etc. Later it will have info and planning/budget info for NEXT year's trip!

Household: This has a weekly and daily to do list for chores around the house. We are really bad about waiting and trying to clean the entire house in one day... so I'm hoping this will help us space our cleaning routine out so that we have time to spend as a family!

Miscellaneous: This has a list of birthdays/anniversaries, and a paper with our online account usernames and passwords. More will be added to this section eventually, but I was more concerned with the other tabs!

You might think I'm wierd for wanting to get so organized, but I function better when I have a written plan infront of me! LOL! I will update on how it's helping my little family... until then... here are some links with printables and other resources to make your own binder! Favorites are starred ***

Creating a Household Notebook

Planner Printables

Frugal Living Household Notebook ***

Free Printer Pages ***

Checklists and Printables

Organized Home Printables ***

Home Management Notebook ***

Ideas & Printables ***

Tips to Make a Household Notebook ***



Conquering Mommy Brain

Mommy brain is a REAL thing... trust me, I know. Ask my mom and husband what I did at Elah's 2 week pediatrician appointment and my 2 week postpartum check up. I flip flopped them. My 6 week postpartum check up... I showed up a week early. Oh yea... I can't even begin to list all the other crazy things I've done since becoming a mommy... my brain has had it! So. Me, being slightly OCD and wanting to be super organized came across THIS post by Adventures in Mommy Land. A binder... full or organization, calendars, and lists to keep you organized. I MUST MAKE ONE. I really do need to get my act together and get organized again. Justin has kind of taken over the responbility of the bills and finances, but I'm sure a tab with due dates and such would be helpful to him as well. We shall see! This is going to be a goal for me this week.... organization! WOOHOO!

An Abundance of Love

I've made a decision about my life today. Something I don't think I ever expected to do, but after praying about it, talking to my mom, and than discussing it with Justin... I think it is the BEST decision for our family, not just me! If you know me at all, you know how important my education is to me, and how important it is for me to go ALL the way and get my Master's. Well... we have a new plan. I know. A new one. When I finish my Associate in Arts Degree I am going to take a break. We will pay off the loans that have accumulated from that... and THEN I will start my Bachelor's. I'll take a break after and we will pay off those loans... and FINALLY I will pursue my Master's and then pay off whatever accumulated from that. I think it's smarter this way. I won't be working immediately after school if I finished in the next couple of years anyways, and I'm afraid to think of how much student loans would pile up if I stormed through and got my Master's immediately. I love being a mommy, and I love staying home with her and experiencing everything... so that is my decision. To raise Elah, make MORE babies (yes, I said more... just not anytime soon) and enjoy our little growing family. I also think this will help me from getting burnt out on school, because frankly, I'm burnt out!

My bible study tonight is on Deuteronomy 28:11, which says, "The Lord will give you an abundance of good things in the land he swore to give your ancestors -- many children, numerous livestock, and abundant crops." The story that goes with it is about a couple who find out they are pregnant for the sixth time.... and I laughed. Janelle.... I'm sorry but I laughed LOL. I immediately thought of 5 little Flint Monsters and their parents. I can't wait to have a big, lively family like the Flints... every squeal, every laugh, even every tear and smart remark... I want it! Nothing is more fun than spending a day with the Flint family. Big families are FUN! So hopefully, the Lord will bless Justin and me abundantly with lovely little Massey's. And after all the talk of me wanting boys... after Elah.... I'm thinking I want a little Esther :) Only time will tell... until then, I'll just enjoy my Boogie :-D

23!

Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to meeee! Happy birthday to me! LOL... yes today is my birthday! I love birthdays... and this one is a zillion times better because the best gift I could have asked for is finally in my life. Elah. What more could I ask for? She laughed for my mom on Sunday, just a little giggle... but she LAUGHED! Of course, she has YET to do it again, but hopefully we'll start hearing her giggle again!

To celebrate, J is making hot wings and baked fries for dinner tonight, and mom will probably stop by to say hello... but ya know she's coming more for Nene cuddles with Boogie ;-) But that's ok, because that will give me time to take a nice hot birthday bubble bath!

I'd also like to finally share more about all the drama and stress that we've been facing with J's job. Hopefully he won't mind me sharing so much, but I really am proud of  him! A month or so ago J was informed that the majority of the "head honchos" at the nursing center he works with were leaving and going to a new facility in a town about an hour from here. The owner of that facility used to own the facility J is at now, so most of the staff that were leaving knew him from that. Before finding this out, J started taking his dietary management certification class and had planned on doing his fieldwork with his manager, Cathy. Now that she was leaving, he wasn't sure what to do or who to turn to for support.

A week or so after finding out all of this information, J was offered a position at the new facility. It was a great oppurtunity, he would still be able to complete his fieldwork with a manager he knew well and trusted, there was a chance of promotion in the future, and it's always exciting (yet scary) to go somewhere new. He struggled with the decision to stay or go... I know it stressed him out. And honestly, it stressed me out as well. Moving as a family of 2 is no big deal... add in a baby, and that adds a whole different level of stress that I just can't explain.

Two weeks ago (or so?) Justin found out that he might not be guaranteed his current position if he stayed, so of course, my poor husband being the worrier he is, was worried to death. He had pretty much decided then and there that he was going to give his 2 week notice in April and take the job at the new facility. We even looked at apartments online, and went to see one about 45 minutes from here... it was awful.

So what happened next? As if we hadn't been through ups and downs with this decision already... J was then told that he would be guaranteed his job if he stayed... so here he goes trying to decide what to do now. We knew that if he decided to take the new job he would have to start that job by driving back and forth an hour there and an hour back... we just could not find a home appropriate for us and Boogie to move too. It was a hard decision to make.

Well... all I can say is GOD IS GOOD. Last week, Cathy informed J that the new CDM (Certified Dietary Manager) that was taking over her position was most likely going to offer him the Assistant Manager position... meaning a promotion and a pay raise. We didn't want to get excited, we had heard similar stories before with no positive results... well guess what? Yesterday J was offered the job! I wish I could have snapped a picture of the huge smile on his face when he walked in the door today. He was so excited, and I can't tell you how proud I am of him. He has come so far in the 5 years we have been together. Next month will be 5 years since he got his GED, and that was a lot of work for him! And now look at him! A managment position, and taking classes to take his career farther than I ever imagined he would. He is doing what he loves, and I know he is excited. Congratulations baby!

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" -Jeremiah 29:11

Changing for the Better

J and I are making many changes in our lives, both at home, in ourselves, and with our careers! You already know, if you read my blog, that we cloth diaper... well we are adding cloth wipes into the mix. I ordered some great wipes from gogreenpocketdiapers.com, yes I could have made my own, but when do I have the time? These wipes are lots of different colors, and each color is textured different. Some are just cotton stretchy fabric, some have ridges, some have bumps... but they will all do the job! One, maybe two, of these can handle a large bowel movement from Boogie (which is great considering she poops once every 5 or so days... and they are HUGE and nasty!) when typically I'd have to use several disposable wipes to get the job done! This is going to save us a ton of money! And it doesn't add much to my laundry considering I can just throw them in with our diapers!We are also going to try some 'green' household cleaners. I found some great "recipes" to try out that use baking soda, vinegar, water, and baby oil... I will let you know how that goes!

I've already mentioned that J and I are both on a path to a healthier lifestyle. I was cleared to start really exercising again at my 6 week checkup, so now I can start using the Wii Fit again! We are trying to buy more healthy, organic foods... and I have pretty much stopped drinking sodas. I will occasionally have a sprite or caffiene free pop, but it's very rare! I've also had to eliminate milk from my diet, it makes Boogie's belly hurt apparently. (That and broccoli actually). Cheese and other dairy products don't seem to bother her, just plain old milk. So I'm drinking soy milk and when I crave ice cream I've found some great soy and coconut options that are quite yummy! Last time I weighed myself I was down 24lbs, and I've pretty much stayed around that number for the past week or so... hopefully once I get to work out some more and when the weather stays pretty so I can walk the weight will start dropping off again!

Now for our careers. I can't go into much detail about J's decisions in this area, but I can tell you that he is starting the class for his dietary management certification! He's nervous, but excited, and I know he's going to do great! He loves what he is doing, and this is just the next step to making it a true career with great benefits! I am also making some changes to my plan... my original plan was to finish my A.A. and go on to get my Bacherlor's in Elementary Education and get my teacher's licensure... or if I went to UNCA to get my Bachelor's in Psychology w/Teaching Licesnsure. Well, since we have defintely decided to homeschool our children, I want to make sure that I will remain home throughout their childhood. (I speak in plural because obviously we plan on having more children after Boogie!) I will have to be gone for an entire semester to do student teaching if I continue on the path to becoming a teacher. So... here is my plan. I did some research on http://online.northcarolina.edu/. They offer a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology online, as well as a Master's Degree in Psychology online. My hope is to pursue those degrees and eventually, after my children are older, work with children with autism and other disorders. I might change my mind about the career I choose someday, but I don't think I'm going to sway on this change in heart for my degree. Having Boogie in my life has changed my perspective on a lot of things... I am BLESSED to be able to stay at home with her, and have a husband who is willing to support that dream and to support and want me to homeschool our children. I really look forward to that! (And the fact that I have a wonderful woman to look up to who also homeschools her children coughjanellecough... it makes it all that much better!).

I'm looking forward to all of these changes... and obviously with those changes will come MORE changes. Hopefully with a new job for J, possibly purchasing our first home, and eventually adding more children to the mix! Please pray for us as we start these new adventures... because they are defintely going to be adventures!

Who I Am and What I Want to Be

**Disclaimer** Sorry this post is SO long, I've been working on it for a few days... if you read this and blog here is the challenge. WHO ARE YOU? Write a blog about who you are, and then add 50 facts about yourself... you never know what you might learn about You!


I have changed drastically in the past few years... DRASTICALLY. I chose to grow up a little faster than my peers and accept more responsibilities. I moved out young, got married young, and at 22 I became a mother! So I'll say it again... I have changed drastically. The biggest changes have developed since Elah was born, and I am incredibly proud of the woman I am becoming... so who am I?

Disciple
First, and foremost, I am a follower and disciple of Christ. I hope to live my life walking in His footsteps, spreading His word, and raising my children in a home that lives and breathes Christ. I am by no means perfect, and I stumble every day in my walk with Christ. I forget to read my bible everyday, I forget to thank God for all of His blessings. However... I am forgiven.

Mommy
I am a mother, a new one in fact, who is learning exactly what it means to love unconditionally. I've become a fierce mama bear who defends my choices in raising my daughter, who isn't afraid to say NO anymore, and I am confidant in the choices that Justin and I are making pertaining to Elah and our future children. I choose to cover my daughter's cute little tushie in cloth, I choose to only breastfeed my daughter even if it means less sleep and less time to myself. I wear my daughter more often than not in my MobyWrap, and she sleeps on my chest every night... and despite the fact that I don't get as much sleep this way, I'm really ok with that. I plan on making Elah's baby food, and raising her on organic foods... and even though I'm going to school to be a teacher and even though my mom works as an assistant teacher for a public school, I am 99.9% sure we will be homeschooling my daughter.

Wife
I am a wife, a homemaker, a friend, a lover, and a partner for life to an amazing man. I may not always keep the house clean, or keep up with the laundry like I should... but he loves me anyways! I get grouchy, I'm impatient, and I drive him bonkers sometimes... and still... he loves me.

Student
I never get tired of gaining knowledge... even if the classes I am taking at the moment do not pertain to my major. I look forward to taking what I've learned and using it to educate my own children and other homeschooled children in the future. I'm hoping to use my degree to tutor homeschooled students, help them with testing, and perhaps teach homeschool groups in the future.

Musician
I've described myself as a musician longer than I've described myself as any of the above (with the exception of disciple). I write music, sing music, play music, live music, breathe music... I just love music. I play music to worship, I sing music to relax, I write music to vent... it's everything!

That's who I am. I am a different person than who I used to be. I am PROUD of the person I'm becoming.

50 Facts About Me

1. I constantly have a song in my head... there is not a moment that goes by that I'm not singing or humming a tune... whether that's outloud or silently!
2. I'm working on making my home and family "green".
3. My daughter has a cloth booty... except at the moment. She is not yet chunky enough for the majority of our stash!
4. I use a Diva Cup... ok maybe a little TMI, but seriously... ditch the tampons and pads and try it. You'll never go back!
5. I enjoy paying bills... I don't enjoy seeing the money go away, but something about writing out checks, and knowing that all those bills are gone until next month is rewarding.
6. I'm slightly OCD. But only about certain things... like my closet, Elah's room, and my school work/supplies.
7. I married a hardcore, serious, KISS freak. He's not as obsessed as he used to be, but he will always be my KISS freak :)
8. Nothing smells better than my daughter after her nighttime bath... love that sweet baby smell!
9. I have 2 families... my biological family and my Flint family... life wouldn't be the same without either family!
10. I exclusively breastfeed my daughter.
11. I am addicted to WAY to many tv shows... Grey's Anatomy, Bones, Secret Life of the American Teenager to name a few... and I'm not embarrassed by any of them. Pure entertainment and drama!
12. I love photographs, I love displaying them in my home... seriously... I have SO many pictures in our living room!
13. I love going hiking, I haven't been in quite a while, but I look forward to start doing it again when it's warm enough to take Elah!
14. I love clothes. I love buying clothes... I have too many clothes...
15. I've had my hair so long that it reached my tailbone... and hair so short it was only an inch long...
16. I love wearing my daughter in our MobyWrap... so warm and cozy, and she's always close to my heart!
17. Being a mommy is my favorite thing in the world... I was born to do this!
18. I love to color... but you can only use Crayola crayons!
19. My favorite thing to do with Justin (and eventually with Elah and our other future children) during the holidays is gathering every holiday movie we have in the house, making finger foods, and cuddling up on the couch for a movie marathon.
20. I hate shoes. I'd rather go barefoot or wear flip flops any day, BUT, I have a ton of shoes. LOL!
21. I like doing diaper laundry... I like sorting the inserts, stuffing the pockets, and putting the diapers away... perhaps that's the OCD in me?
22. I love the beach, but I hate the sand. I don't like the way it gets EVERYWHERE.
23. I got to meet my great-great-grandmother Matilda when I was a kid... she lived to 102!
24. I don't wear makeup, I don't think I need it. My husband loves me the way I am, and I could care less if anyone else things I'm attractive or not... so why not just appreciate my face the way God made it?
25. I want a minivan... yes. A minivan. Plenty of room for the 4 kids I'm planning on having!
26. I know how to crochet, with and without a loom, but I have no patience when it comes to crocheting... so I stick to hats.
27. I've given up on my daughter sleeping in her bassinet... she can sleep on my chest as long as she wants. I know she won't be sleeping on my chest when she's 10... and she won't be this little forever. So I'm enjoying the extra snuggles while I can!
28. I hate snow. I hate the cold, the wet, and that it means I'm stuck in the house until it melts and the roads are safe. Ugh.
29. My husband and I danced to "Forever" by KISS.... and as we walked back down the aisle together "Rock n Roll All Night" played. Told you I married a KISS freak!
30. I broke my leg "snowboarding" in my yard in 6th grade... my lame attempt of snowboarding involved a sled and our dog, Rags. Bad idea!
31. I hate throwing things away, but I force myself to do it... especially after watching Hoarders. I would never be that bad, but it scared the pee outta me!
32. I had to learn how to be flexible when I gave birth to my daughter... I learned that not everything goes as planned! My natural birth turned into me having terrible back pain and getting an epidural. I'm really ok with my decision!
33. I have never had a normal animal. Every dog, cat, gerbil, guinea pig, etc. that I have owned since childhood has been wierd. Ask my mom...
34. I never thought I would be in a traditional family. I always thought I'd have to work and send my children to daycare... I am thankful and incredibly blessed to be able to stay home with my daughter!
35. I would love to live at the beach, however, I have a huge fear of hurricanes and tornadoes... so I won't be leaving the mountains anytime soon!
36. Some of my closest friends are scattered across the country... and I've never met them face to face. They are my "supportive sisters" who have been by my side since J and I started TTC in 2007... thank you Babycenter for bringing us together!
37. In high school I burnt noodles... meaning I couldn't cook worth a flip. Thanks to my husband I can now cook pretty well!
38. I have an obsession with books. I love books. I read the same books over and over again, and never get tired of it. My kids will have a library of books by the time they graduate college and get married.
39. I love owls.
40. My baby shower was in October... the thank you cards are still sitting on my bookshelf... procrastinate much?
41. In high school I wore flood pants, capris with chains and zippers, black tshirts (and only black tshirts), wore ties as belts and put blue gel in my short spiky hair. What was I thinking?
42. I want 4 kids, but I'm really hoping and praying that future pregnancies are easier than my first... 32 weeks of "morning" sickness was NOT fun.
43. I hate feet. No, I despise feet. Feet are gross.
44. I did not inherit my mom's craftiness... I am too much of a perfectionist, so quilting and sewing are really hard for me to do... I'm too obsessed with getting everything straight and perfect!
45. I love coffee and coca cola... and since I'm breastfeeding I'm not drinking them anymore unless they're decaf. ::Sigh::
46. I hate doing dishes, so I got a dishwasher. His name is Justin.
47. I've been in a marching band, symphonic band, jazz band, youth praise band, worship team, and a blues band.
48. I have a giant stuffed bear that I named Wilbur... I got him for Christmas in 1st grade and I stiill have him!
49. I can't snap my fingers.
50. It took me 3 days to complete this list!

2 Weeks Old....

Yes... really. My baby is 2 weeks old today! UGH! She's already growing to fast, it's bad enough that the Flint boys are TODDLERS now... now I have to cry over them AND Elah growing to fast!

Elah's 2 week checkup is tomorrow... hopefully we can make it out to Asheville tomorrow! We weighed Elah on the Wii Fit the other day and she's gained almost a full pound since her first checkup! She eats like a champ, and I swear she's going through a growth spurt... she eats ALL the time. Luckily last night she decided to give mommy a break and not get up EVERY 2 hours. I fed her around 9pm, again at midnight, and then again at 4am and 7am. So we got a few extra hours sleep in there!

Elah is official now... we got her social security card in the mail, her insurance card.... and now we just need to get an official copy of her birth certificate. It still amazes me that she's even here and not beating me up from inside my belly! I can't even explain to you how good of a baby she is. She has her cranky moments ofcourse, but she's so down to earth and really only gets mad if she has a dirty diaper or if she's hungry. She was a LOT cranky today however... but that was Nene's fault, not mine! LOL Nene took us to the grocery store and ofcourse insisted on carrying her instead of leaving her sleeping in her car seat.... so when we went to put her BACK in the car seat she SCREAMED. She definately enjoys being held! She was up from 10am-almost 2pm... and as soon as she finished eating and put her head on my chest... she was OUT. She was SO tired!

As for me... I am happy to report that my start to the new year is going really well! I have a goal to lose weight this year. I'm hoping to get down to a size 12 again by my 24th birthday (March 2012)... might not sound small to a lot of you skinny mini's out there... but that's healthy for me. I like my curves, and that's a good size that I'm comfortable with, AND that's the size I was before J & I started dating in high school! I'm down almost 25 pounds from my prepregnancy weight, so I'm in a few pairs of my prepregnancy jeans already. Those are size 18, my hips are still a good deal wider however, so the rest of my jeans (size 16) that fit comfortably prior to being preggo are a bit tight still. I'm excited about this new journey... mom is trying to lose weight, Janelle is trying to lose weight, and J wants to get healthier as well. So I know I have lots of support.... and knowing that my beautiful little girl will be watching me is inspiration enough!

EBF, CD, BW Momma

Since before I got pregnant I knew I wanted to be a EBF, CD, BW momma.... what the heck is that? I'm sure your asking LOL! EBF is exclusively breastfeeding, CD is cloth diapering, BW is baby wearing... so far the breastfeeding is going really well. Elah is a wonderful eater, she latches really well, she eats to her hearts content and then she is peaceful and a little cuddlebug until its time to eat again! CD has not started yet... she's not quite big enough for even the smallest of my stash, but hopefully soon we can dive into the world of cloth diapering! Today I tried out my moby... and Elah LOVES it! Yay! She loves to be held, she sleeps better, and honestly how can I not just enjoy holding her after so many months of wishing her into my arms? :) Sometime in the next few weeks we'll try out my Ergo... :-D

I think what I'm most excited about when it comes to this Moby Wrap is that when school starts back NEXT WEEK (all online classes ofcourse) I can just put her in the wrap and get to work. It will make my life a bit easier! I'm wearing Elah as I type this actually.. and both my hands are free to work with! :)

Boogie is HERE!

Boogie is finally here! She is absolutely perfect, absolutely beautiful... and I have fallen head over heels for my sweet pea! I'm going to try to write my birth story, but I'm sure I'll forget some things... let's see...

On Monday night, the 27th, I was sitting in bed watching Bones and surfing the internet and felt a little trickle down there. I thought I had peed on myself a little, because being super mondo pregnant, it happens... a lot! So I went to the restroom and nothing else leaked out so I was sure it was just urine. I went back to bed and turned Bones back on and BAM! Ok, not bam... more like EEK! I could feel it start trickling, so I jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom as fast as a fat pregnant woman can run and managed to make it to the bathroom just before my water broke EVERYWHERE. I yelled for J and got cleaned up and we got dressed to head to the hospital.

After calling and speaking to one of the midwifes, the decision was made to stay home for 12 hours or until contractions started and picked up a bit. Janelle came over so that she could take us to the hospital and be my second support person (thank GOD for her). We watched some more Bones and we all got some sleep, not nearly enough, but a couple hours atleast. Nothing happened... just some measly (sp?) little menstrual like cramping. Around 6:30am we called my mom and asked if we could come hang out at her house until it was time for us to head to the hospital... I really wanted her to braid my hair to keep it out of my face, she's a french braiding pro LOL.

Finally, around 9:30am on the 28th we headed to the hospital. We were so excited, a little bit nervous, but incredibly excited. They checked my progress in the L&D triage unit and I wasn't having any contractions, and the nurse couldn't get a sample of my water because it wasn't trickling anymore... however when the midwife came in to check my cervix it was DEFINATELY leaking again. I was 3.5 cm dialated so they admitted me and started me on pitocin to kick start my contractions.

The beginning of my contractions were totally manageable. My goal was to have a natural, drug free labor, with the exception of the pitocin ofcourse. However... sometimes your plans change. The regular contractions were painful, but I was handling them really well. Then a couple of hours into labor I started having terrible back labor... horrible, painful back labor. I can't even describe to you the pain I endured, they were lasting a minute or more, were a minute apart. I had no time to breathe, no time to relax, no time to get a grip and deal with the pain. It was continuous... and even in that tiny 1 minute break, the contractions would stop but the back pain never went away. I asked about alternative pain medications... if you don't know me very well, then let me tell you... I am horribly afraid of needles. I was terrified of getting an epidural or a spinal... absolutely terrified. They offered me a drug (I can't remember the name of it) that would help me relax between contractions, however, after talking to Janelle we realized it wouldn't be the best choice for me. Apparently a lot of people that use that do rest between contractions, but because they rest so deeply they end up feeling like they have one endless horrible contraction... and never realize that they did in fact get to rest in between pains.

I chose to have an epidural, I was around 6.5 cm dialated at this point... this was after all that back labor, trying heating pads, the water tub, etc etc. I was so scared, I was crying in pain, crying in fear... and I was so incredibly blessed to have my amazing hubby and amazing friend Janelle there to support me. They loved on me, and reassured me the entire time. I got on the bed and into position to get the epidural and I was so afraid that I wouldn't be able to hold still during my contractions. Janelle and J stood infront of me, Janelle prayed over me and held my hand, J held my hand... and I cried. It was over with pretty quickly, but I can assure you that that moment was the most terrifying moment in my life.

The nurse got me laying down in the bed and the epidural kicked in almost immediately... thank goodness! I was finally able to rest, and ONE HOUR later I was fully effaced and dialated and ready to push! I believe they said that I pushed for one hour, seemed a lot shorter than that to me... it was incredible. I thought that getting the epidural would mean I wouldn't be able to feel anything. I was wrong though! I was tingly and definately numb, but I could feel her moving down and crowning.

At 9:07pm, on December 28th, 2010 my beautiful baby girl was born! She had the cord wrapped around her a couple of times... and she had a little bit of trouble breathing at first... but she found her bearings and cried beautiful cries. Janelle cut her cord and they handed her off to me and she had the most beautiful big blue eyes! She was 5lbs 13 oz, 18.5 inches long... and BEAUTIFUL. I only needed 2 stitches to repair a tiny tear, the epidural wore off pretty quickly, and by 12am we were moved into a mommy/baby room ready to start our lives!

J was amazing, he was so supportive and loving. I couldn't have wished for a better husband, God definatley had his hand in choosing him to be my life partner and best friend. Janelle was my rock, she was incredibly supportive and I believe I made the BEST choice in choosing her and her husband to be Boogie's godparents. My midwife, Dolly, was incredible... she never stopped praising me and letting me know how well I was doing and that I was making good decisions. The nurses were amazing... and despite the horrible back labor, I had an AMAZING birth experience. I know what to expect when we decide to have more children, and I'll know what to do if I have back labor in any other birth experiences in the future!

Boogie is a wonderful baby, she sleeps a LOT, is latching and feeding pretty well, and she makes the most precious faces. All of her grandparents are thrilled and adore her.... Uncle Josh and Uncle Pickle are smitten... and mommy and daddy are head over heels!

Project 365: Day 65

I received two wonderful packages in the mail today!!! The first one was from Old Navy w/my Black Friday purchases!

I got this for $5... and figure even if she's not here before Christmas, I'm only out $5! LOL

 I love this one! Daddy's Little Monkey :)

 So cute!

 Elah will be nice and cozy in her bear suit!

 A shirt for J

 A shirt for me...

 PJ pants for me...

 PJ pants for J

 Then I received a special box from a friend of mine. I'm incredibly blessed to have her in mine and Elah's lives, even if she doesn't live nearby! She has continually encouraged me and prayed for me throughout my pregnancy! Thank you!

She shared two Thirsties diaper covers and these itty bitty prefolds :)

 She also shared a sleeper that is two small for her daughter and a St Patty's Day outfit that won't fit her daughter in March.



Preparing for the Big Day...

I know I say this frequently, but this pregnancy is going by incredibly quickly! Tomorrow I will be 35 weeks... yea you read that right. 35 weeks! We're getting closer and closer to Elah's birthday, whenever that may be, and since it's drawing near I've been doing a lot of preparation for the big day. Again, I've posted a little about this I believe, about packing my bag for the hospital and etc. My bag is still packed and stored in Elah's room temporarily, all it's lacking is my homemade rice heating pack (aka Justin's sock w/rice in it), toiletries, and snacks. I'm sure we've packed more than we'll need or want, but I'd rather be over prepared then under prepared. I even had to use my huge orange adidas sports bag that I used for soccer in high school... my robe took up the entire suitcase I was planning on using! We also have Elah's diaper bag packed to keep in the car in case we have to stop anywhere on the way home, HOPEFULLY that won't be necessary. Her car seat base is installed and her car seat itself is waiting patiently in her room. Now I just have to prepare myself!

Mentally, I think I'm pretty ready... I obviously don't know what to expect with this being my first, but I have confidence knowing that not only will I have my husband's support during labor, but I'll have Janelle's support as well. It's nice knowing that someone with 3 pregnancies (which produced FIVE children) and lots of experience in a natural vaginal birth, a c-section with an epidural, and a c-section with a spinal will be there to encourage, pray, and support me. I'm actually looking forward to this new experience, as crazy as that sounds. Honestly, I'm not all that great with pain, I'm really a big baby! I also have a definate fear of needles... which is something I've done pretty well with considering how many times you have to get stuck during a pregnancy! With that said, I am planning on having a natural vaginal birth... meaning no pain meds! I know I can do it, my body was MADE to do this. Unfortunately the majority of friends and family in my life don't have a lot of confidence in me doing this... BUT I am hoping to prove them wrong!

Physically, I'm not so sure I'm ready. One of my biggest fears after reading many birth stories on babycenter.com is tearing or having an episiotomy. Just thinking about it makes me cringe MORE than thinking about a baby being pushed out of my body! I'm a little afraid of the pain and contractions and am still thinking and learning about how I might plan to work through that. The thing is, is there are so many different opinions and options out there that are supposed to help you through labor... but everyone is different, so at this point I don't know what will help me until I start physically feeling the pain. One thing I do know is that my hips are definately spreading and preparing for Elah coming into the world... they absolutely KILL! My yoga ball helps a little bit, but even that makes my hips sore after a while!

I'm also trying to decide if Justin is ready for this huge change or not. I think in a way he is completely ready, but at the same time he has no idea what to expect and is completely unprepared. I've been with Justin for close to 5 years now and I still have a hard time deciphering his emotions and inner thoughts sometimes. He's really good at bottling up his emotions, he's only cried infront of me 3 times the ENTIRE time we've been together. So I'm not sure if he will get emotional, if he'll be shocked and not know what to do, or if he'll just jump in and just know what to do as a father! What I do know is that he's going to be an amazing daddy, even if he botches a diaper change or puts Elah in an outfit that doesn't match (that really bugs me lol)... he's going to be great. I have no fear when it comes to that!

This post ended up being a little longer than usual, but hey, I'm excited! I'm so ready to feel Elah kicking on the OUTSIDE of my body and get to finally be a mommy! Do you hear me Miss Elah? Don't be stubborn and be late alright? Mommy is ready to meet you!