Sleep, Mama.

My world, having been turned upside down by Munchkin, is still in the process of having the pieces put back in place.

When I was 8 months pregnant with her I couldn't wait to have her out of my body. I wanted nothing more than to just SLEEP again. People laughed at me - saying "enjoy it now, you'll wish you had this kind of sleep after she's here." I'm quite pleased to announce that they were sooo wrong.

I was getting NO sleep. From about 6 months pregnant on I had AWFUL heartburn. I didn't have food cravings - I had food aversions. (Okay, that's sorta a lie - there are 2 documented cases of cravings: One night, Pizza, another night a "Papa Joe" from our local Zips.). If I laid down I'd get some intense reflux happening and feel like puking. If I sat down she'd shove her feet into my ribs and everywhere else and cause some nasty heartburn and PAINFUL ribs (she broke 2 of them, remember). Of course, if I stood my back, legs and feet would kill me.

I was up all night most every night, throwing up more often than not because of the heartburn. AND I carried a bottle of Tums with me EVERYWHERE. If I didn't have some I would drive right down to a store and buy a new bottle!

When I was in labor with her the heartburn came back and I puked early on. Oh yes, I do NOT miss that. I am happy to report I am no longer a 20+ Tums caplets a day person. But now just a once in awhile eater for too much pizza. As it should be. Heehee.

I have gotten an abundance more sleep than I did than, and am quite happy about it. The difference this time, though, is this:

Then, running on no sleep I just had to deal with my Husband, my Brother (who was living with us) and my Dad (who I work for). No big deal, they knew well when to "Steer Clear" of me, and we were all great.

Now, running on little sleep with a Baby is much different. She doesn't know when to "Steer Clear" she just wants what she wants. Which is not always apparent right away, if at all. I am teaching her and helping her learn about life. She doesn't know when I'm grumpy or sad, happy or agreeable. She doesn't know that it really is time to be SLEEPING at 2,3 and 4am and I am NOT pleased to be up at those times.

Babies do not have "Tact" nor will they ever. This poses a different nasty problem for my sleep deprived state. I can still function - and function better than I did before - but my fuse is a bit shorter.

Sweet thing got my and Kenny's intense Stubbornness. Unfortunately for her we are both determined to out last her. This leads for some rough nights. Kenny works for us and is making most of the money these days, so I enjoy making sure his work days aren't awful because he stayed up with the baby all night.

The last two weeks, though, she has been sleeping awfully. SO badly, I really should lay down and sleep at the same time as she does. I usually want my "alone time" though and end up staying up too late. Making it *my* fault that I'm grumpy when she wakes up in the middle of the night wanting to play.

Fortunately God has given me the grace to wake up and be just as cheerful as ever. I just pray that I will have the strength and fortitude to continue on. I'd really like her to sleep through the night, but that will come when it comes and I will not force it before she's ready.

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In other news Munchkin is now saying MAMA! It totally rocks my world. It's only deliberate calling for me a little bit, most of the time she's just saying it to say it - but its becoming more purposeful. I'm stoked. Still working on "papa" but she doesn't really have that "pah" sound yet. In time, in time.

My baby food making also seems to be a success. Munchkin loves it and ate it up like crazy. I'm excited to make more. Now, I've just gotta figure out the cheapest way to keep making it! heehee.

Okay, in the interests of actually sleeping tonight, I must go.

My Husband

is weird and very funny.

Last night while on our way to bed he was brushing his teeth and all that entails, I was getting ready to crawl into bed. I realized his pj's were on our bed still so I tossed them out the door towards the bathroom for him and saw they didn't quite make it so he wouldn't have seen them.

I went out to grab those pj's and put them in his hands when I saw him in a near squatting position over the toilet and in the process of spitting. Of course I saw this the same time I was going to re-toss the pj's to him and tell him "here you go."

My starting to speak startled him horribly and he jumped up faster than I've ever seen and quite embarrassingly giggled loudly and said "you weren't supposed to see that!!!!"

I couldn't stop laughing! I had no idea what it was that I had just seen - but the entire situation was beyond hilarious. ...I'm laughing right now typing this, it was too funny.

It took me a lot of laughing and coaxing to get him to fess up - turns out he was spitting his mouth wash into the toilet so when I got up to pee in the middle of the night I would be "overwhelmed" with this minty smell and wonder about it forever. You know he never would have told me or fessed up to it *EVER*.

How do I know that? Well, I've seen him do just that same thing with his mom. He'll smack her upside the head with something, swear he doesn't know what she's talking about - she believes him and he never says anything about it ever again - and she never knows. Yeah, he never would have told me had I not "caught" him.

I love this guy. I'm so glad he picked me to marry. Yes, there is definite "spice" in our relationship!!!

Two Years Ago, Today.

Almost 5 years ago I met Kenny at Awana camp. We'd both been going to that camp for years, well since 5th grade. Yet, we had never seen or knew of the other before that summer. He was funny, quite entertaining and we were on the same team.

Later that week we found each other with our guitars in the Snack Shop playing - when we realized that we both knew a song that no one else knew, or really even liked, but we did. That's where it started.

At the end of that week we swapped contact information - he gave me everything about him, short of his social security number! Drivers license number, license plate... everything!

Not a week back home we were Instant Messaging (remember when that was cool?) each other every night. He had a girlfriend, though, so was off limits and was just another (because I had *a lot*) guy friend of mine that was cool and could actually play his guitar - not another poser.

Fast forward a few months - a couple hospitalizations for me, he broke up with his girlfriend, I shot him down - we were dating.

Dating, going to school, graduating highschool, working, working, working. Good, much simpler times - yet very difficult in their own right. Several more hospitalizations and bumps in the road for us and things were great!

One extremely unbearable hot fine day I found my self being proposed to under this fountain that I am standing under with Munchkin:

A year later, after a LOT of planning, helping with his lovely sister's wedding (she got married 2 months, almost exactly, before us), his mom had an unexpected Gallbladder surgery, and a lot more inbetween. We were married on this day, June 29th in 2007.

It was beautiful, complete with beautiful weather for pictures, a thunderstorm that caused a transformer blow and tree branches fall down and had our lovely party favors we were up all night putting together to melt all over the white table clothes:




Yes, it was a blast. The sun came out as I walked down the aisle. Nothing could have been more perfect. It was glorious. Truly glorious.

Now, we have a beautiful little girl and a lot has happened in these two short years. From a surprise pregnancy then miscarriage with twins, that Kenny had wanted so badly. To a surprise second pregnancy. To major job turmoil. To having God throw Kenny's current one in his lap.

Its been a blast and I cannot wait to see what he has next for us!

Silly Me.

So, as I mentioned yesterday, it was Hoopfest weekend around here.

Much fun was had by all. Hubby and I went down yesterday to see my brothers and their buddies play their last game for the day. The only thing is....

...well, let see... Here's how it is: My dad's business, that I have enjoyed working for/with him for several years now, made all the banners that line the streets to block traffic from traveling on a good portion of our downtown. We did 40 of these last year. To say it was Insane would be an injustice to the feat it was to get them all done. Not to mention that we had to bring in 16 other people (one of them being my SO very sweet and awesome Sister in law), I was pregnant, it was about 95-100º, and I had NO IDEA that this blessed even in my town was SO big.

I was born and raised in this town. My dad was a referee for the event several years when I was very young. Yet, I was never went down to see the event, never participated, nothing.

Little did I know until last year amongst the Insanity that it is the worlds largest 3 on 3 basket ball tournament.

This year we did 11 more banners for it. Got them done on time without the Insanity.

Back to what I was saying, though. Hubby and I went down on Saturday to watch my brothers' game, only to miss half of it. We went to walk around the park but then found that there were SO MANY PEOPLE. We decided to leave. I'm not typically a claustrophobic person, but that day - it was getting to me - and had completely gotten to Hubby.

Come to find out later that over 200,000 people massed on our downtown. No wonder there was no room for walking!

The glutton for punishment that I am went back today to watch their game again. They did well, winning that game and allowing them to play one more - which they lost awfully. It was still quite fun, though. I got to walk around and Munchkin did SO well.


And, yes, that is a mohawk I put her hair in. Yes, she did get called a boy all day. I can't get mad at people, though, when I perpetuate the problem.

I think that next year I would like to participate in the madness that is Hoopfest. Hopefully I can find some poor souls to lose with me. I love basket ball a lot.

Whatever the case. It was a long day, but quite fun. Came home and had milk shakes, grilled cheese and tomato soup with Hubby and later ice cream. A Perfect Sunday.

Life Goes On

A week and a half ago I was ready to pull my hair out because Munchkin would not tolerate me putting her down for more than a minute.

Now: She'll happily sit and play with toys - or things I turn into toys - on the floor for quite awhile. I'm not talking hours here - 20 minutes - but I'll take it!

She is SO close to crawling I can't even believe it. She'll go from a sitting position to being on her haunches and rocking back and forth - trying to get something or go somewhere. Of course she just ends up on her stomach but she is SO close. Getting her knees under her and starting to move forward, its crazy!

I'm SO not ready for this, but I am too. I'm not ready because I am sad she is growing up. I'm not ready because I want her to be a tiny little baby forever. I am ready because I enjoy watching her gain ground in her daily accomplishments. I am not ready because I still have much baby-proofing to do, though it is getting better.

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I'm working on making our own baby food for her these days. I'll be going down to our local farmers market a couple times a month and getting stuff to make baby food until they close for the winter. I am quite hopeful for this.

I am doing my best to expand my food horizons - I would like Munchkin to at least get a feel for and be able to decided what she likes/dislikes after she's had a very good variety to choose from. It would be best for Hubby and I to do this anyways - being healthier is something we both strive for. ...a bit obsessively at times, this will be a good way to go about it. We're both quite picky - making it hard to eat truly healthy. Haha.

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In other news I am also going to begin working on teaching Munchkin Signing for communication. We've been doing a lot better in the communicating of needs recently, I think, though, that this will help a lot more. She's definitely ready for it, if there ever was a time to start it would definitely be now. She seems to understand me more and more, smiling when I talk to her and randomly laughing at times too. I think it will be a good thing for us.

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Also, Hoopfest is this weekend! It's great, and I will post more about that later. I went down today with Hubby to watch my little brothers participate in the awesome 3 on 3 basket ball event. Only to find that it is the busiest I have EVER seen the downtown of my fair city. Come to find out on the news later that more than 200,000 people converged on our downtown. No wonder there wasn't even standing room! Much less room to walk and get around - especially with a stroller!!!

But, the glutton for punishment that I am, I intend on going down tomorrow again to hopefully watch my brothers' possibly last game. Its in the morning, though, so maybe I'll beat the insane crowd and just be there during a crowd. haha.

That's all for now. Have a great night!!!

Trip trip trip

My Great Grandmother died a few days ago at the sincerely Ripe Old Age of 95. Her life was long lived, loved and quite full. She lived on her farm in Kansas her entire life. Yes, she had a good long life.

My Mom has been going back to Kansas with her Dad the last 5 or so years to visit her and other relatives for a couple weeks during the spring. - This death has kinda hit her suddenly. She was ready to go, but no one really "expects" a person to die, so she's pretty sad about it.

Dad got the money together quickly and sent her back there for a week - for the funeral and all - the only thing is that the cheap flight was 4 and a half hours away, in Seattle, from home. He's in the middle of a huge business deadline so I volunteered to take her there. That meant waking up at 1am from 3 hours of sleep, driving 4.5 hours and then turning around and coming back home.

All with Munchkin in tow. It was a loooooong day! I do enjoy drives like that, though, I get to see all sorts of beautiful things - which I love.

The exhaustion overtook me after I dropped my Mom off at the airport and made sure she got checked in. Stopping for Breakfast was great - Munchkin and I went to IHOP. She sat right next to me gumming some tasty French Toast while I ate the rest of it. She is such a good baby and will sit quietly and well for me in such places. Everyone is quite taken with her too. - Causing me some problems nearly every time I go out with her. Its neat.

I ended up stopping at a rest stop shortly after driving again as I realized I was far too tired to continue on at that point. I wanted to nap - Munchkin wanted to play. I compromised, she sat next to me out of her seat playing with toys and I got to "rest my eyes." It wasn't a nap but it was just what I needed.

It took me awhile to get home compared to how long it took me to get there, but I wasn't trying to break any land speed records on the way back. It was Munchkins first experience with such a long car ride so I made sure that the normal hours of her waking were spent semi normally. She tolerated the entire trip very well. I was quite surprised, still am.

Anyways, I'm tired and haven't felt well since I returned home - probably that IHOP breakfast coming back to bite me. Time to sleep for me! But not before I spend sometime in prayer for my Mom and the rest of the family in Kansas.

Slow Down, Baby!

What a week/end! I have several "half posts" started but not finished. I'd start them but something would come up and I would be unable to finish - then start a new topic and not be able to finish that one either!

Today, though, I have been rather sentimental. Who knew that becoming a mother would make me a blubbering mess of emotions? Me, who had taken it upon herself to be as emotionless as possible starting at 12 years old. Me, who doesn't cry during movies (except A Walk To Remember). Me, who doesn't cry at weddings and only cried at mine because my dad gave an unexpected speech and was bawling during it - thereby causing me to tear. What's wrong with me!? ...oh, that's right, I have a baby and my chemical balance is all screwed up.

...At least that's my excuse!

Cleaning my "junk room" that is Supposed to be Munchkin's room the last few days has been quite fruitful. I did, however, come across Munchkin's newborn clothes. She's not an infant anymore!!! I'm SO sad! My baby isn't an infant anymore!

I think she's got 2 bottom teeth coming in. I'm SO sad about that, too. I LOVE her toothless smile and laugh. I LOOOOVE the way she sucks her bottom lip in - it won't be the same when she gets those teeth in!


My baby is growing up and no matter how much of those moments I cherish - It still goes WAY too quickly.