Target

Here's something: I love Target. Brian doesn't.
Now, this means I have run out of things to write about.

Shopping

Every girl likes to shop I think. I heard that when you have a kid, you no longer want to shop for yourself and my thought was, whatever. It is true. Yesterday Abbie got lots of new fall clothes (compliments of Nana and Pops). We went to Divine Consign that happens twice a year. Great stuff from furniture, clothings, toys, and if you desire training toilets (ugh). Then we went to the Carter's outlet in Allen. They are having a huge sale up to 50% off their stuff. They have cute things too. Abbie is all set and that is a good thing since it's going to be cooler today.

2 Months

Today we took Abbie to her two month check up. It was hard because at two months-they get 5 shots. Count them...5! No one ever told me that. So new moms, be aware of that. She screamed her head off then daddy picked her up and she settled down. I was quite impressed with how well she handeled it. She is now up to 11 pounds!! She has hit the 50th percentile for weight and height. Her head is still little. Only 10th percentile. All in all, Abbie is doing great and we praise Jesus for a healthy little girl!

To Do List

I seem to always have a to-do list. Being Type A personality, I live by them. When it comes to Saturday though, I do a lot but get nothing done. We go a lot of places but really don't go anywhere. What is it about Saturdays that just suck the time away leaving you thinking, "What did I do today?"

ps. you can view Abbie's website at www.abigailvinson.com. She is too cute!

Pass the Paxil Please

As most know (if not, you do now), I take Paxil for anxiety related issues. If you have experienced a panic attack, you know what I am talking about. If not, they are not recommended. Basically you just have a break down and breathing becomes erratic and you just panic. I also take it to just chill out. Not to the point of drooling, but to not worry so much about everything.
While pregnant, I did not take it and felt great and acted fine (you may need to ask Brian). I guess it was the hormones. Recently though, the plaguing thoughts of things that need to be done, how are they going to be done, I want to get them done NOW, are flooding back. My mind is busier than the hurricane season and can be more detrimental than the aftermath.
My thoughts now are on how I am going to sleep at night, how much, will Abbie cooperate, will I get ready on time to get to school, will my class adjust, can I ever get it organized (it is a wreck!) and how to do I juggle being a mom and wife in it all?
So with that, I say, "Pass the Paxil please."

Post Baby Body

Ugh. That is what I say most days I look in the mirror after having Abbie. I look at all my cute clothes that I can't wear so I turn to my maternity that won't stay up. I know after having a baby that it takes time for weight to come off, but I didn't think it would bother me as much as it does. I knew it would take time but it's that vicious cycle you get in. I have not broke down yet to buy my "fat" clothes because I just refuse to spend money on a size I don't want to be in. I know, I know. I am just being silly and need to just do it. My thought process is if I don't buy clothes then I have to fit in what I have so that must mean motivation. Being a mom is hard because you have to take your eyes off yourself--you have a little one that needs you for everything. At this stage in my life, it is not about me (and it never should be). It's about Abbie. Why is it hard, for those who struggle with weight, to know it in our head but can't get it to our heart?

Scheduling Savvy

One thing about being the mom of a newborn are the schedules. Crazy as they may be. Abbie is learning her nights and days (thank goodness!). I am trying to get her to eat at 10 at night then 2 and then 6. This will work well if Brian feeds her at 10, I can go to bed early and get some rest before the 2 feeding. It has been hard to get her to do this but I have found that for the past 3-4 days we have both been consistant with the 10. Last night she went from 10 till 3!
Also with schedules is the sacrifice of being home when you need to be. I am trying to be home when Abbie has her awake time to make sure she gets her engergy out to help with sleeping at night. I think it is important to put that over what I feel needs to be done. When she goes to sleep, then we can go out.
Schedules are hard to do and stay with on a consistant basis. I am trying to work at it so that when I return to work, all will be well. Speaking of the little bundle of joy, she is awake. With that, we play!

Sensorship

There are many great things about a blog. You can rant and rave about anything you want. It gets if off your chest in hope that others will read about it and if not, oh well. You can just write about your ho-hum life and all the things that don't happen but you sit around dreaming about. You can write about profound things that you find complicated or theories you would like to test. There is pretty much nothing off limits. Except one I can think of (and a few others). Family. When you want to vent or rant about the family, a blog is not the place. In no way am I saying that I have something to rant about, but if I did, the blog could get you in big trouble. There are some things going on within the family that I don't get but better not write about them. I have opinions about them but the blog is not the place. So to all the bloggers, be careful what you write about and who you write about. You never know who is reading...

ps. this is NOT about Brian

Intro

I would like to introduce you to some new sites you might want to check out.
First out of the gate is Holly. She is a dear sweet friends who entertains ALL my questions with a smile. She has the cutest boy, Holden, who has a head full of hair. Seriously, baby hair model. Her husband is a rootin' tootin' cop in the metroplex. His name is Branden. Finally, we have Robin, the stay at home mom. Her two daughters are too cute and Robin is a wonderful friend as well. Check out their blogs. You might learn something.

Uptown

Today I went to our Fellowship campus at Uptown in Dallas. Very nice area. It made me think, how nice to live here...probably way too expensive. Our friends, the Storch's, now attend regularly. Terry is the campus pastor there and it was kind of weird to see him on stage. Completely different from what I've seen him do before. The Storch's have become great friends of ours and I am glad that things are going great for them, especially Terry in this new area of ministry. Brian goes in at 3 am. Yes, AM. He rides in with a friend to go set up everything. Volunteers help set up the stage, signs, childrens area, hospitality...and on and on. They even tear it down when the day is done. They do this week after week. Why? To reach the people in this area to bring them to God. It's all for his glory. God bless these volunteers and their talents. After all, God's word does NOT come back to him empty.

Oktoberfest...in September?

Today the fam piled into the Escape and headed to Addison for Oktoberfest. We made a pit stop for lunch at Freebirds (corner of Beltline and Dallas Tollway)..Chipotle on steroids. It was very yummy. The queso is highly recommended. You should go.
I was, however, disappointed in Oktoberfest. First off, it's September. Secondly, a k in October? There was not that much to do and it was very hot. I think that $5 a person to get in is not a deal. I suppose though if you are into carnival type rides and enjoy midway games, you might like it better. As for us, we won't be going back. Denton Jazz and Arts Festival is much better!

Going Back

I go to my school on Thursdays to read to my kiddos to help them transition a bit better. Plus it lets me see what I am in store for! I am torn about going back. Part of me wants to and part of me doesn't. If I could take Abbie with me it would make things much easier. It will be a new world where laundry, cleaning, and dinners may not be done on time any more. Where sleep will be harder to come by seeing I can't sleep in till 8 any more. It will be a balancing act of wife, mother, and teacher. In these last few days of being home, I hope for Abbie to sleep longer periods at night and for me to be OK with working again. God has always been faithful to my prayers and I know he will be faithful in preparing me for the "big day."

Fired Up

I am so fired up right now. After reading a comment from a reader it makes me say this: People need to mind their own business and if they don't have something nice to say, then they don't need to say it. I know it's been said before but it rings so true. I would not dog someone elses husband and call them a jerk unless I knew them personally and have seen it happen first hand. With that said, to my anonymous writer who is hiding behind question marks: it is obvious you don't know Brian and have never met him. If you had, you would know you are completely wrong!!

To tell or not to tell..that is the real question

As you saw, Brian worked from home yesterday. He made fun of me that I had it so "rough." I think he is just jealous! Well, I told him I have become addicted to a piece of trash: The Young and the Restless. Yes, I admit it, I am captivated by all the people being rich, successful, skinny, good-looking...please. Like the world is really that way.
Any way, I had to play catch-up on TIVO before I could watch my next show. Brian even asked me some questions about it. Now, should I mention that or not? Should I mention that he was trying to figure who was who and who was doing what? Should I mention that his new favorite character on the show is Sharon? Should I also mention that he would guess who was who? Probably not.
Oh well, that can be our little secret. Who knows, I might get him addicted too!

Work From Home

I am quite jealous and excited that Brian is working from home today. Nice, he works from home and gets paid and jealous he works from home and gets paid. I understand I am getting paid right now, but not working and my days are fleeing quickly.
I think since there is satellite capabilities that I should have a camera set up at home and a TV in the class and teach from home. I know for sure that teachers wouldn't be quitting as quickly then! Afterall, you would only have to have the top half ready. :)

Weary Walkers

We tried out our new Angelcare Movement Sensor. I enjoyed it, Brian is on the line. We put her down on her tummy in hopes of a peaceful night sleep until Brian comes in at 11 with Abbie not wanting to go to bed. So I rocked her till 11:30 and off we went to dreamland. That is until almost 3 and the alarm went off. Talk about us moving quickly in a dead sleep in hopes that all is well. Our little tot was sleeping peacefully and had just inched her way off the pad. Then she woke up when we tried to move her.
The alarm went off again during the night, again to her moving. Seriously, how does she do it?
It was great, other than our inchworm. She now thinks 6am is wake up time. Oy!
So, with that, I went ahead and got up and painted our bedroom....all day! I am afraid she slept too long today but hope to recover nicely with a night's rest...I need it after today!

SIDS??

There is a lot of talk about SIDS so the campaign, "Back to Sleep" was put into motion to keep babies on their backs when they sleep. If you don't do the back then you need to do their side. With all the discussion of SIDS and having a baby, it will scare you to death so you fear letting your little one sleep on their tummy till they can roll over.
Abbie sleeps great on her tummy. We do it during the day in her pack and play and keep a close eye on her. Last night she ate at 11, 12:30 and didn't go back to bed till 2, up at 3 for a bit and fell back to sleep, up at 3:30, back down at 4 then up at 6:30. I don't know about most of you, but that schedule does NOT work for me.
So, I head to the store today to buy a gadget. You put them to sleep on their tummy and if they stop breathing, an alarm sounds. (Now, if the alarm sounds, I am not sure what to do then...). It is called Angelcare Movement Sensor. Tonight, Abbie will sleep...on her tummy! I will let you know how that one works for us.

Why

Today we went with our hometeam to church..well, same time. It was quite nice to have everyone together. Most have kids and the thought came up...how come when a mom holds a baby and it cries it's ok. But when a dad holds the baby and it cries they get asked, "What did you do to it?" Just a thought.

Saturday Fun

Today we spent the day enjoying whatever. We began with breakfast at La Madeline to fun joy rides on the new George Bush Turnpike followed by a spending spree at Costco. Now that place can get you in trouble. If it looks good, we put it in the basket.
On our way home, Brian commented how tired he was carrying Abbie with us. Yes dear, it is tiring.

Bind and Conquer

For mom’s who are out there that might find their way to this site, here is some info you mind find useful. (Guys, not so much)

I have decided to let the nursing thing go. If you are from Le Leche, let your comments move along because I have made my choice and stand by it. In books you read they say don’t feel guilty about this and I always thought, what is there to feel guilty about? Well, once I made my choice, the guilt did come. I can’t explain it. You feel like you’ve given up, don’t care, didn’t do it long enough...etc. The thoughts can be overbearing. I have prayed for God’s peace to cover me and he has granted that peace to lay upon me. I went for 6 weeks and have a freezer full so she will continue to get some breast milk for the next couple of weeks mixed with formula.

If you are thinking about quitting, my doctor said at this point, they no longer receive anything that will help them combat illnesses etc. That made me feel better. In the beginning (first few days of life) is where they get their antibodies.

So, how to do it? Some wean themselves. Me? Bind and conquer. Put some cabbage on (change when wilted), wrap yourself in an ace bandage tightly (but still breathing), pop a couple of Tylenol and hold on! It really hasn’t been too bad. Discomfort? Yes. Give it 24-48 hours (so they say) and you should be a new woman…hopefully!

You Know You're a Mom When...

I spent my day with various forms of foreign objects on me. It began when the dog got sick in the house and I found it and then turned my head to find my daughter in her swing had gone to the bathroom...up the front of her diaper and out...and I do mean out!
I didn't really know how to clean her up other than use 50 wipes halfway for fear of touching "it." What an effort to get her clothes off without it getting smeared across her face followed by holding her out away from me naked walking to the kitchen (praying she won't pee) and being bathed. I then proceeded to clean up the dog mess.
One thing that is most helpful...the steamcleaner. I have the Little Green made by Bissell and it helps tons!
The day continued with spit up on the clothes and the no-need-to-change-it-it'll-happen-later mindset.
And you know when you're a mom and none of this bothers you.

Sleep Tight

Sleep tight no longer exists for me with a newborn at home. How precious sleep was. I begin to wonder if it will ever come back to me. I get jealous and sometimes even frustrated when I go take care of our little girl and he is snoring away. He has even turned off the monitor before while I was making a bottle because he could still hear her crying.
Gone are the days of 8 hours in a row and late Saturday mornings. Gone are the naps at any time you please.
I hear it does come back...but when?