Away...

So last night (Wednesday) TJ and I left the girls with his mom so we could run to Lowe's and pick out our floors for our house. I was gone a total of 1.5 hours. I had planned to take Miley with us but TJ's mom asked if she could keep her. So I did it...with my stomach in my throat. Well they both did great! But Miley was ready for mommy by the time I got there.

Just when I think I faced my fear and won't have to do it again for a while. We find out today when we called to order the floor that that style has been discontinued! UGH!!!

So after dinner this evening I planned to leave Tommi with TJ's sister and take Miley with us to Lowe's and Home Depot so pick out floors. Well again I was asked if Miley could stay. I told them how tired Miley was but thought if I don't let someone else try to get her to sleep I'll never know if she will go for it. So TJ's sister kept both girls. Well Tommi was in heaven playing her her hero cousin Sam. Miley was so tired she didn't wanna play or anything but she was ok. She wouldn't keep her head down to go to sleep. She finally did fall asleep only for me to show up a few seconds later. She started screaming as soon as she saw me...she was so exhausted! This time I was gone for 2 hours...too long with an overtired baby. But we lived and she is happily in her bed now sleeping!

We lived but if I ever leave the girls, well Miley b/c Tommi loves staying with people. I'm doing it RIGHT after she eats. It definitely needs to be better planned! But now I know I can do it and she lives :)

I think it is harder on me leaving them....I feel nervous the WHOLE time!

Santa

On Tuesday, Tommi asked if Santa was real. (I told her no previously b/c he freaked her out so I wanted to stop her panic) but asked her what she thinks and she wasn't really answering. So I asked "Do you want to believe in santa?" She said "kinda" so we were taking her lead. So we talked about him bringing presents and she said "Mom, I don't think I want him in my house...can he just leave them on the front porch and I'll get them in the morning?" TJ and I laughed and told her that was fine.

She now flip flops on what she thinks. Sometimes she is ok with him sometimes not.

Well this evening we went to Lowe's and there was a HUGE blow up santa...like the kind in peoples front yards...18 feet tall probably. Well Tommi said she didn't like it. So TJ was carrying her to the car and walked over to it to show her it was fake and just a silly decoration. Tommi clung to his neck, screaming like someone was gonna kill her. It was insane. She is such a nerd!

23 and 24

Day 23...I'm thankful for being able to get pregnant, carry full term (well overdue) and give birth twice. By far one of the coolest things I have ever done! I am SO thankful for having "normal" pregnancies and births. Such a blessing!

Day 24...I'm thankful for a husband who is a handy man. I am glad I do not have to hire someone everytime I need something fixed and/or made. He has been able to do so many things that save us a bunch of money on our house!

10 months...

How is it possible!? I'm not sure but I'm falling more in love with the little booger daily.

Miley is on the move all the time, she rarely sits still. She is either crawling with her one leg pump or cruising around on anything she can stand up on. She is a happy girl, full of smiles and lots of noises. She still clings to me like I'm going to leave and never come back. It is insane!

She is still waking up every 2 to 3 hours (when I can remember waking up...usually I am half asleep and can't remember how much I wake up at night to nurse) She will go to sleep on her own at the beginning of the night and knows how to put herself back to sleep b/c I hear her talking then she is back out sometimes.

She still takes 3 naps a day. Morning nap is usually around 1030-11 and lasts 30 min to an hour. The afternoon one is at 130-2 and lasts anywhere from 1-2.5 hours. (the past 3 days in a row it has been 2.5 hours!!!AMAZING!) Then her evening one is kinda whenever she catches a quick nap or sometimes she totally skips it if we are out and she is entertained.

Her eating is crazy. I struggle on what to do for her. She still is not a fan of baby food (I need to give up on it but it is so easy sometimes just to get her used to some different tastes) "Real" food is hit or miss, mostly miss. Tonight she  ate some pizza (tortilla with sauce and cheese, not greasy stuff) and she loved it. The veggie part is the hardest b/c she doesn't want much to do with any veggies.

She is such a little sweetie who adores her big sis and of course mama! Which she is most definitely saying now :) Love it!!

Cakes!

Still a peanut and in 6-9 month clothes comfortably maybe in 12 month by her birthday :)

Thankful..20-22

Day 20...I'm thankful for a roof over my head and never a doubt that I will have one. So many deal with the worry of having a nice roof over their heads with worrying it could be taken away or is it dangerous. I am blessed with a safe place to lay my head always!

Day 21...I am thankful for the internet. Sounds silly but I am able to keep up with friends and family from far away at the drop of a hat. Also I am able to do Christmas shopping withing out having to face the outside world...oh how I dislike crowds and all that!

Day 22...I'm thankful for my mother in law who gave birth to the amazing man I call my husband and for always making sure we are taken care of. She keeps us fed and taken care of. She takes time out of her weekends and other free time to come and paint our house so that we can get in faster!

Smarty

Last night Tommi and I were talking about school in the car and what she will learn etc. One of the things I said is math. She asked "what is math?" I said "Adding and subtracting" Which again she asked "What is that?"

So I said  "If I gave you 2 red M&Ms and 2 blue M&Ms, how many M&Ms do you have?" She almost immediately said "FOUR!" I was floored. I could understand if they were in front of her for her to see but she did that in her head...quickly. So I waited and bit and said "If I gave you 1 red and 2 blue, how many do you have?" She said "THREE!"

I'm not sure if this is normal for her age but I was super impressed!

a bit behind

Day 16...I'm thankful for my sis-in-law Heather! She can brighten my day at the drop of a hat. She is known for getting a bit excited over things the average person does not find that exciting! It is really funny! She also loves my girls like no other. She is such a wonderful aunt to them! With her awesome husband (my big brother) life is never boring!

Day 17...I'm thankful for modern medicine. My girls were sick this weekend and though I did not have to give them medicine I am thankful it is always there and I do not have to worry that if they do get very sick I don't have a way to help them.

Day 18...I'm thankful for God's creativity in nature. Fall up here means pure beauty. The trees are AMAZING! It makes me stop, slow down, and take it all in b/c it is gone so quickly...which is a lesson in itself.

Day 19...I'm thankful for my sis-in-law Katie! You wanna talk about a classy lady. She is the definition. She is the kind of person I wish I was more like. She takes things in strides and with such elegance. Those around her say she doesn't walk she glides b/c she is just that graceful! She also is an amazing wife to my brother Luke and she loves me unconditionally...which of course to a big sister means the world! I am also thankful she likes to upload pictures online of my little bro...which always makes me happy!

Sick kids

Last night Tommi got an all the sudden fever :( She ran a fever through the night, waking twice for some mommy comfort. Then today the fever broke and she complained of a sore throat but was in good spirits. She wanted to cuddle alot. When she went to bed her fever was 99.5 so not really a fever but not the norm. I just had to go in and comfort her b/c she was having a night terror...yelling and tossing around like something was "getting her". She was asleep so I had to wake her up...basically after a second or so she calmed down and went back to sleep. She felt warmer than she had an hour before when she went down. Hoping the fever has burned it all off by tomorrow.

Miley well who knows what is going on with her. Her nose is running so bad and she is stuffed up. She struggles when nursing b/c she has to eat some, breathe, eat some, breathe, etc. It is sad and frustrating. She is struggling sleeping b/c she has trouble sucking on her passy and breathing. I have her elevated but it only helps but so much. Since the nose running and stuffiness is the only symptom (fussiness also) I assume teething but I guess it could be a cold.

Oh what I would do to take my kids discomfort away!

Age

Tommi likes days that are "special" it gets her in an excited party mode...like she needs help with that. Well on Monday I noticed it was the 12th so I told Tommi "You are 3 years and 7 months old today!" Well now she is no longer "3 and a half" she says she is "3 years and 7 months"

Now if you know Tommi you know when she learns something she tells EVERYONE. So she has been telling the world! It is so awesome and super funny b/c she literally tells everyone including anyone who even slightly looks at her in a store....I'm kinda regretting telling her that b/c it is much tougher to say and I get funny looks for it but she loves it!

She also tells everyone her sister is 9 months! It is cute to see how proud she is of her sister, even though Miley annoys her all the time!

Selective hearing...

Tommi has discovered selective hearing and is using it ALL THE TIME! It is insane how my good listener has now decided she can ignore me. SO frustrating!

Tommi officially knows all her letters and numbers (0-9), and can write her name (the M's have 3 bumps but it is obvious what it says). She can write other words if we write them out for her to copy but they are not as well written as her own name or the letters she knows how to write pretty well.

Miley is talking up a storm. Mama and dada are in there and sometimes are used correctly but not sure if it is on purpose. So I'm not counting those yet.. But her official first word that she for sure uses correctly is "bye". If she is in a good mood and I walk into another room she will say "bye" or "bye-bye". She also does it when we walk to the front door.

I think Miley is cutting her top teeth b/c man has she been cracky and clingy! Her nose is running like a faucet also...which makes it get stuffed up then she can't breath well. Which in turn is messing with her sleep. Oh the joy of teething!

Though I go through tough times...these girls are the greatest things ever! They are so amazing!

I saw this sign the other day and thought of my girls!

Life is SO good!

Day 15

I am thankful for daily phone calls with my mom! I thrive on talking to her. It allows me to tell the silly/annoying/gross/etc things my kids do that no one else really wants to hear, vent my feelings, share fun "juicy" news with out it being gossip b/c it (usually) stays between us, gives me adult conversation I need, etc. So refreshing and of course my mom is awesome so it helps!

Day 13 and 14

Day 13...I am thankful that I am able to be a stay at home mom!! I feel so blessed I am able to be at home to raise my babies by myself!

Day 14...I am thankful for a reliable car. This is such a blessing esp with kids! I do not have to worry (other than the normal stuff that can go wrong) that my babies and I will be stranded!

Day 12

I am thankful for my husband. He is my best friend and love of my life! He is the best daddy to our girls. We have had our ups and downs but I love him more and more as the days go on. I am thankful for his patience with me and my craziness. I was blessed with a wonderful man!

Highlight of my day...This afternoon Miley woke up fussy from her nap and Tommi woke up with a tude. I got so frustrated I just walked away and hid in Tommi's room for a little bit and just prayed for peace so I didn't lash out. No questioned asked TJ dealt with the girls and had them laughing almost the whole time (they must have needed a break from mommy too) It was so refreshing and just what I needed!

Day 11

I am thankful for my big brother. He is so wise in many ways. Yeah a bit of a bonehead sometimes but it is something I love him dearly for. He is has been my hero, my enemy, and everything in between. But nothing in the world could change the love we have for each other. Normal cool big brother, annoying little sister deal...it's all good!

Only 2 short years ago I was knocked on my butt with his brain tumor diagnoses. I had this amazing peace that he would be fine (of course it was the Lord) Not only did my brother fight the tumor like a champ, he kicked it's butt! He is a fighter and a true survivor. (Doesn't hurt his trust was in The king of kings)

So I'm also thankful for his healing...a miracle!!

Day 9 and 10

So I like getting behind...these 2 thankfuls go together like the last ones...

Day 9...I am thankful for my awesome, crazy, loving, God fearing, did I mention crazy MOM! She is my mom, sister, friend, mentor, and listening ear. She is insane in so many ways but everyone of those ways makes her that much more awesome! (Note...she just ran a marathon at 54) She is the best grandmother a child could ask for...she spoils my girls rotten and loves them with the deepest possible love. They learn quickly that Big Mama=PARTY! From 4 hours away she some how keeps me sane with daily (sometimes multiple) phone conversations. She has a heart of giving..esp for kids and wow do they love her! I have never met a person who doesn't love my mom. I thank God daily for her!

Day 10...I am thankful for the worlds best daddy! He is totally a super hero in my eyes! My mom tries to tell me he is not perfect but I know he is ;) He is the best daddy a girl could have. He has helped me through many tough situations and usually with few words. He is SO calm and laid back but mess with his family and he has no problem getting worked up. He is one I have few words to describe b/c he is so incredible. He worked his butt off to become what he is and works hard daily to stay on the top of his game and will not settle for less. If he does something it is done right. (Note how much he loves me...he spent his whole Saturday painting around the trim in my new house...you wanna talk about some hard stuff...he did it with out painters tape too.) He is the best pappy ever to my girls...they have no doubt he would give them the world if he could.

God has a very special place in heaven for my mom and dad. They are some super special people! 

Day 7 and 8

Last night the computer was screwing up so I am joining these two thankfuls today....they go together anyway.

Day 7...I am thankful for my first born, Tommi Jolene. She brought SO much light to my life. She has taught me how to be a mother and helped me grow in so many ways. She is a sweet cuddler but also has quite the bite. She is so full of spunk and joy and everything amazing about life. She is wise beyond her years at times and so eager to learn. I could not have dreamed up a better child if I tried. I mean I could do with out the attitude but it just reminds me she is mine. She has the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen. I am just so thankful for her!

Day 8...I am thankful for my second born...Miley Jade. My little mighty mite. In the short 9 months I have "known" her she has taught me so much. She makes sure I know that no to kids are alike and I can not compare them. She has been a handful but it is easily forgotten when her sweet face lights up when she sees me. She has such a warm and loving heart. She makes sure her opinion is known. She has taught me to love my brown eyes. I have always wished they were prettier but she has shown me how beautiful brown eyes can be. I am eager to learn more about her and her personality in the coming months and years.

I honestly believe I have the best kids ever. They keep me on my toes and make sure I feel loved everyday. Being a mom is the hardest but best job I could ever dream of!

Day 6

I am thankful for my freedom and all those amazing men and women who have fought or are fighting to protect my right!

Oh my...

Tonight I went back to have some "me" time when TJ got home (aka take a shower) The moment I left the room Miley started screaming. I leisurely got the shower going in hopes the crying would stop since big sis and daddy were there for entertainment. But after 5 minutes I finally shut the door to her still screaming....like she was in pain.

Feeling like crap I took a very quick shower... forgetting to shave my legs ugh! Got out and she was not crying but fussing on and off. Then she started up again when I yelled out to Tommi to quit whining. Well that opened it all up again, crap! She heard my voice and was determined to get to me. Shaking the fence and all :( Poor thing

The moment I picked her up she was all smiles and back to normal! What in the world!?!? Mommy doesn't get mommy time anymore?!?!?

She sure is lucky she is so cute b/c man is she a handful sometimes!

Day 5

I am thankful for being able to nurse both my kids! Tommi for 17 months and Miley for 9 months and counting. It has not been an easy thing but it has been SO worth it! I feel blessed to have this bond with my girls, give them a great start at life,  and what a financial break!!

I prayed while pregnant with both of them for the Lord to give me this opportunity and have prayed all the way through b/c it has been a battle the whole way both times.

Day 4

I am thankful I was raised in a Christian home and am raising my kids in a Christian home. I honestly feel blessed beyond explanation for the foundation my parents gave me by raising me in church. No I was not always the best, if at all, Christian but I always knew the Lord had my back.

As Tommi gets older I am starting to find out how important it is and how much I desire to teach her from when she is young how amazing the Lord is and how much I love him. So she can one day follow him on her own and no matter if she strays she will know where she can come "home" to.

Today We were driving home from TJ's parents house and I hear in the back of the car...

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You

To see You high and lifted up
Shinin' in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy

Word for word...Tommi was singing this! I could not stop smiling b/c this just tells me I am doing something right. She may not know exactly what she is singing but she does know the Lord is important and he is awesome! And I believe if she is surrounded by it the blessing pour on to her and a seed is planted!

Day 3

I am thankful for family that is so welling to help! My parents have always done anything to help me and living 4 hours from them I always thought that would be limited. But they do EVERYTHING they can to help me from afar and when I need them they come running (well driving) to help. Also I have been blessed with TJ's family here close. They will do anything to help me also. Just today TJ's dad is helping him hook up the septic lines to our new house and his mom is in our house painting. Just the little things.

*Note...my thankful list is SO not in order of thankfulness! Well #1 was but the rest are what is on my mind for the day.

Day 1 and 2

In November I am going to write something I am thankful for everyday....I missed day one so here is both days combined.

#1...I am thankful for my Lord and Savior. No matter what I am going through I know I can trust in Him that he will not give me more than I can handle. He is always there to talk to and praise for all the wonderful blessings in my life. I don't know how anyone goes through life with out a personal relationship with Him.

#2...Sleeping kids...sounds so crazy but I am trying to keep this up to date with what is going on in my life and what I am thankful for the day of. So I am thankful for kids that sleep. Tommi is a great sleeper and well we all know she is not the best but she does sleep. She wakes up often but we both get a good amount of sleep. So I am thankful I do not have kids who are up all night or have major sleep issues. And today Miley is napping beautifully....so praise to God for that and I am SO thankful for it!!!

Halloween

Trick or treating was pretty fun this year. Tommi really enjoyed herself and I really enjoyed showing my girls off! They struck the jackpot! Tons of candy and snacks...the plans for next year are in the works. Tommi has asked quite a few times when it will be Halloween again haha
Her plan is a trip to Big Mama and Pappys for Halloween and going with a friend from VB. We will see. I know Big Mama and Auntie Heather would LOVE IT! So we will see.

Cakes as a cupcake

Pinky as Rapunzel

I love them!!!

Holy moly....

So Miley has never been a "good" sleeper but my goodness. She all the sudden wants me holding her while she sleeps.

Typically at night I lay her down and she rolls over and goes to sleep. Well now if I lay her down she goes straight into screaming. I try putting her to sleep and laying her down. Again screaming. It is a total battle!

Tonight I messed with her for over an hour and finally she rolled over when I laid her down!

Since she is showing no other signs I am assuming it is a 9 month sleep regression (according to my online searches it is common)

This is going on with naps and night time. I know this too shall pass but oh boy this is not a welcomed one. Especially since I know we will go through some sleep issues when we move to our new house and Miley is in a new bed. 

I am also transitioning her from napping in the swing to napping in her bed (still in my room ugh!) So it is  double trouble with sleeping. Hoping it all works its way out soon!!

Separation anxiety is on high also. If Miley sees me walking out of a room she gets super upset! So this is also part of the problem even though this is not a new problem.

I sure do love my Cakes she is the sweetest little thing. I still am amazed by the love I have for my girls (I say it all the time but it is SO true!) BTW...no more stinky nick name it is now Cakes. Pinky and Cakes are my sweet girls!

Tommi is not liking the extra attention I have to give Miley at naptime. It ends up stressing me more b/c Tommi wants me with her but I have to mess with Miley. It is hard but we are gonna get through this together.