Time Flies!

Wow, I can't believe how fast this year has gone.  Taking the year off to spend with Alexa has truely been a blessing.  So many fun adventures we have gone on and so many new friends that we have made.  Her personality comes alive more and more every day.  I love her quirky sense of humor, joy for the outdoors, and of course her innocense.  So much amazes me about her and I thank God every day that I was given this opportunity.  We are so blessed with such a wonderful little girl that fills our hearts with so much joy. 

As we prepare for our second child, I can't help but wonder what that will do to the relationship between Lex and myself.  She is going to be a great big sister.  She is so loving and nurturing with her friends and her dolls that I know that she will just roll with it, but she definately won't be the center of our universe by herself anymore.  I think it is more Mom that is struggling.  Baby Boy (We will leave him nameless as it hasn't been decided and we know how that ended up the first time!) is due July 31st.  The pregnancy has definately slowed me down, but we are still getting out and having fun.  I am busy scheming up the room trying to get that taken care of this time around before the baby comes.   Big plans of painting the walls, redoing a dresser, finishing up a blanket and finding all the right accessories to go with.  Just wish the painting wasn't such a big deal.  My picture in my head looks awesome!! lol, now only to get it to come to fruition!

I know my blogs have been far and few between, but better spent hanging out with my best bud!  :)

The Cutest Flower Girl Ever! ;)

I am exhausted after chasing around a toddler all weekend. One that instead of pettering out from the lack of sleep and sickness, decide to keep going like the energizer bunny. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining as it could have been miserable with a crying whiney sick little girl. (Did I mention I have the greatest kid ever?) It was a beautiful wedding and Alexa did a marvelous job as one of the 3 flower girls. She loved every minute of it, but I am sure the bribes helped. Yes, not the greatest parenting technique, but one I'm sure we have all tried at some time.

I have so much to be thankful for tonight. Some things get me down, but if I look at what I have the people I love that surround me I can't complain. The rest is just life, you have to take it in stride. I am thankful that I don't have to get up to go to work tomorrow, I get to spend it as we wish. Perhaps we will go to the library for storytime, or to the gym to work out and Lex to play...or maybe we will just stay in our PJ's all day and play with dolly and "cook" in the kitchen. What a luxury to have. :)

Sunday Nights

There were plenty of Sunday nights that I dreaded going to bed last year, I actually procrastinated. Can you do that with sleep? (And not that I didn't like what I was doing, but more so because of how crazy it was during the week.) This year (as in school year) I still stay up late, more so because I can. I love being home with little Miss Lex. Our weeks are flying by as they are always packed full of things to do. The funny thing is I still feel like I am short on time to get stuff done....maybe it is because I am too busy playing with my daughter?!? I have started to craft a bit more again on my down time. Also trying to close up loose ends with things around the house. If only I could sit down and update all of Lexi's photo albums into books as I had started. Maybe once the weather turns a bit cooler and we become a little more home bound. In the meantime we are soaking up the last of the sun rays on the playground.

We have lots on our plate this week with our weekly library visit, yoga for mom and playtime at the gym for Lex, Diana stopping in from PAT, playdate, giving back to a family who lost their barn in a fire last week, a firestation tour and then off to Madison to spend the weekend with Julie and Sienna doing fun Halloween things with the girls and some down time for the moms. Phew, no wonder I am so tired come the weekend!

Through her eyes...

And what beautiful eyes they are! When the busyiness of the day takes away from the moments, you miss so much. Since I had gotten so much done this afternoon I could give Alexa my undivided attention...well, almost. I often forget how everything is a new experience. So we planted flowers and watered them. It is amazing how she wants to help with everything, and sometimes it slows us down a bit, but shouldn't that be the way life is? How the simple pleasures of bubbles in our bath makes us giggle and laugh and running around without a shirt on is acceptable at 2. We sat and shared a fruit bar and Alexa kept trying to bite it, but taking the time to show her how to suck on it brought so much more pleasure and a new experience along with it. The memories we create like sitting down on the kitchen rug to share a banana, or the simple wink will carry through many years. I hope my life slows down to share more of these experiences with my daughter and not so much pushing through to get through the day. The simple things in life bring so much pleasure, like chasing bubbles and smelling the flowers.

Beautiful Sunny Days

What a phenomenal day! We took our first Bike ride of the season with a 100 M.S. kids and parents. I really didn't know how it would go, planned for the worst....but what was I thinking? I have the most amazing little girl that I know!! We arrived at the M.S. at 8:30...on the road by 9 and then road 11.5 miles to Harrington Beach. Alexa was reading to dolly in the back of the Burley, saying hi to everyone we passed. Lunch was waiting for us and the kids ran around for a bit, then back to return. Total of 23 miles and 5 hours. My daughter, my beautiful daughter made friends and was an angel for 5 hours! She took a half hour snooze and still was wonderful all evening. How did I get so lucky?

Now I'm looking forward to family rides more often. We are so lucky our daughter is so easy going and willing to do the things we do. It sure makes life easier! We are so blessed!

Only pages left....

The end of the book is always the best, especially when you don't take that peek ahead to see what happens, as I often do. So many changes going on in life, and as we age we come to realize it doesn't come easier...we only accept it. Or accept what lies ahead. I love teaching, although I will be the first to tell you it has its bumps in the roads. Any job does. Sometimes the future scares me for my daughters sake, and there are times I realize I will be a better parent for being a teacher. 24 days, and I am counting....not because I necessarily want this chapter to end, in fact I am sad for it to end as the future is uncertain if this is what will be waiting or not and I know I have lot to still give, but I can only imagine the stepping stones ahead.

So as I sit here this morning in a quiet house, I realize that there won't be many moments like this once I am that SAHM. And because I refuse to go in early on a Friday, I kick up my feet, pick up my computer with my cat on my lap (and arms, which makes it even tougher to type), and drink my cup of coffee and reflect on what lies ahead. The stepping stones in our beautiful future that we have.....the moments that make life special. This would be one of those moments that I say, wow, I'm living the life.

Life...

Life sure speeds up as you get older. You blink it is the weekend, you turn around and a month has gone by...the next thing you know your baby girl is 22 months old and has a personality of her own.

The world is in upheaval. A huge Tsunami hit Japan and it is on the brink of a nuclear meltdown, the state of Wisconsin is in an uproar, friends are losing their husbands, friends are losing their dads.....and I keep waiting for the ball to drop. The one that hits my perfect little world. I pray that ball never drops and I am thankful every day I have a beautiful daughter, a beautiful family, my parents, my wonderful friends and all the opportunities that God has given me. I can't ask for anything more than I already have. "My cup runneth over...." I am very fortunate for my health, wealth and love that surrounds my life.

Speaking of which, I will be a SAHM next year as I was granted a year leave from my job. That means a year with my beautiful daughter to hang out, to smell the flowers, to learn how to skip and hop, go to the zoo, color pictures, make cookies and so, so much more. I am very fortunate for the opportunity and looking forward to every moment including the not so great moments. What a blessing. So now I am counting my days...and my blessings. What are you blessings? RU counting them tonight, because you should....every one of them, because it can change in an instant.

Jan. 2, 2011

Wow, time sure flies! I can't believe it has been a year since i Have updated this blog. It was a long year, but we are very blessed. Alexa spent the year learning to walk, talk, and develop her personality. She is such an easy going baby, or should I say Toddler. She is a busy bee, always moving and doing something. I can sneak a few cuddle times in the morning, but never for long. It has been tough being back at work, I struggle most days leaving Lexi, but maybe not for long. My hip is on the mend, but I am still struggling doing things that I enjoy without repruccusions later. I really am looking forward to doing more with Lexi this summer. We got a Betty Brinn membership for Christmas that we have used several times leading up. Lexi loves to be helpful, loves to eat, and loves to give hugs and kisses. She isn't a very good sharer with her peers yet, but we are working on that. I think it is the stage she is going through. I love this age, she is so fun, learning more and more words and things every day. I will try to update my posts a little more often...after all it only takes one more post to beat last years! :)

Happy New Year!

Little Missy Tutu has sure been a handful this week that we have had off. I think she is finally teething....or atleast I hope so! In the last day we have had 5 blowouts! She is getting up and at um on all 4's every once in awhile. I think she is lagging behind a bit, as she prefers to only roll from her back to her stomache and rarely rolls the opposite way. She loves to jump in your arms and is starting to push off the ground a bit. I think crawling is right around the corner.

Christmas was bittersweet this year, not at home as usual, which was difficult. My Grandfather passed away on the Eve of Christma Eve so we had a special Angel watching over us. He is now at peace, but we will miss him very much.

Lexi loved all the new toys she got. She sure has an abundance to choose from! She is also into this growling stage. It is rather funny, but hopeing she will start to put sounds together a bit more. Ready to head back to work on Monday, although I have a cold brewing. Ugh!

Shy Girl!

All smiles of course, with many fingers always in her mouth thanks to the teeth working their way out!

6 months!

Here are a few preview of Lexi's 6 month pictures! So happy with them, but wanted to share. She was so easy, until we put on her Christmas dress...notice she likes the nude! Uh oh, Dad!

Baptism

Last weekend we had Alexa's baptism. She was great! Talked as she was getting water splashed on her and was all eyes when Pastor Janis passed her around the congregation. My cousin Rachael and our good friends Kevin and Erika LaPean are her godparents.

This weekend Lexi has caught her first bug. She was running a temp, vomitting, coughing, sneezing, runny nose and then of course to top it off, pink eye. They think it is this bug going around right now that is everything down to the pink eye. Although she looks miserable, she has been a trooper talking and playing and smiling still. She is such a good baby!

Vacation, giggles, and chatter

We just got back from our family vacation for the summer. The Griswald family vacation was fun, but not quite like the T.V. Lexi was a trooper. The airplane ride was pretty uneventful. California was hot 105 or so.....Sequoia National Park was beautiful. We made it to Kings Canyon and did a Cave tour. Lexi slept in the bjorn the whole time. We did a few hikes, one morning Lexi blew out of her diaper at the first stop, peed while I was changing her in the car, then blew out of her diaper at the second stop. It was a messy morning. We even saw a bear cub, thankfully while in our car. On the way back to L.A. we went through wine country and had some great wine...even joined a wine club. Then we stopped and had dinner at a friends house in Pasedena. It was a great first trip as a family...but I did become that person that didn't wander more than a few miles from the road in a National park.....

The night we got back after a major crying burst, we gave Lexi a bath and she just giggled and giggled and giggled and broke us all up laughing.

Thursday Lexi went to her first day of day care. We got there and she was all eyes and smiles at the kids. It wasn't so hard leaving her once I saw how well behaved the other kids were. She is the only infant. She is going to an inhome daycare with a friend of mine from our tri club. Very nice family, her husband is a teacher in Mequon and bball coach that I have coached against. When I picked her up I walked in and she was sitting in the swing...facing the wall...WHAT?!? Nikki was quick to walk out and say she was getting a little fussy and had kept looking at the calendar, so she turned her to face it. (All the other kids were taking a nap). I went around and her eyes were as big as can be looking at the calendar, she didn't even realize mom was there! Finally after realizing I was there, she turned and gave me a big smile...AHHH!! She has not stopped talking since her day at daycare, she loved it soo much. She won't even take her naps because she just wants to talk.

We are heading to the 'sau this weekend for the Speci-al Olympics......we'll fill you in.

Growing by the minute!

We weighed Alexa at Mommy class this week and she was 12lbs 13 oz! Oh my! She is falling into a routine when mommy doesn't have errands to run or people to see. She is now sleeping in the big girl crib at night and we have broken the every two hour routine from her first week and half in it. The other night she slept from 7:45 to 4:45 with one waking in there that we managed to put in a binky and she fell right back to sleep...Yeah!! I'm hoping that continues.

Today has been a great day! Mommy had a good night sleep sleeping through her night wakenings after she fed Lexi at 2...thanks to Daddy. I have gotten so many things done around the house cleaned the sheets, washed the cat water dish out, went for a run, ran to Target, cleaned my linen closet and tried on some of my clothes. YEAH for jeans that fit!! All of my jeans fit, with my favorite skinny jeans just a bit tight yet. Some shorts, but that is ok. Lexi has been content talking to mom as she has been getting stuff done, walking around in the baby bjorn to practice for our trip to CA and now taking her long nap! I love days like these!

Looking forward to our trip to CA in 2 1/2 weeks. We will let you know how it all goes when we get back.

Big Bed

Well, Mommy started to break down and had to start putting Lexi in her big bed for naps. Right now she is, well I guess not, but suppose to be sleeping the night in her big bed in her own room. Sounds like she is stirring, but hoping she falls back to sleep by herself. She is regularly sleeping 6-7 hours in the first stretch. I'm hoping tonight in her crib will be the same.

Uncle Dick and Aunt Kay came down to visit Stefie and Tim. We went down to say hello and Uncle Dick took pictures of Lexi for her 2 month birthday. She was a little crabby that day as I think she was warm and possibly going through a growth spurt. We had our 2 month appt. last week (10 weeks) and had our first round of shots. Daddy came with, Mommy choked back tears. She was a bit cranky a few days after, but we aren't sure if that is why or not.

Mommy is going back to school part time in the fall after her leave is through. She will be 80% at the Middle School, so she won't have to go in until 9:30. That will be nice to get stuff done in the morning and spend some extra time with Lexi at night or even in the morning.

Lexi is making big strides. She now is in size 2 diapers and weighed 11 lbs 3 oz. at her visit last week. She has grown 3 inches and now is 23 inches long! We are no longer in the 5th percentile for weight, but 50th% and 75th% for length. She is getting chunky legs and arm rolls and loves to Sing, Dance and Play when she wakes up in the morning. We throw on music and dance, dance, dance. She loves music! She is all smiles especially in the morning. We have been trying to do our part for the environment by using G Diapers when we are home. They are ok, but you have get past the mess that they can be at times.

7 hours of sleep for some....

We had a church dinner thing that we signed up for on Saturday night. Lexi had Mark and Karen Bruggemann come stay with her while mommy got snuuckered on a few too many glasses of wine. Who would know that those church faring people would drink so much?

Although she was a bit fussy, when mommy and daddy came home at 10 she was still up, but went down shortly there after. She didn't wake until 5 a.m.! Mommy on the other hand woke up and had to pump at 4 and Daddy of course had to go potty so we didn't make it. After Lexi fed, she went right back to sleep downstairs in her swing and mommy laid on the couch and fell asleep until 8:45! What a great night of sleep. Too bad mommy had drank the night before, it could have been more rest for her too! We don't know if our drunken snore drowned out Lexi's snorting to signal time to wake up, or if she truely slept that time??

She's been crabby all day on Sunday and fussy on Monday, so we are thinking she is going through a growth spurt and just trying to catch those zzzz's. :) She is sleeping now and even allowed for mommy to take a nap too.

2 months and Milemarkers!

Wow, how time flies!! Can't believe Lexi is 2 months old today. We have had some milemarkers this week. Last weekend at Nana and Popi's over the 4th Lexi officially smiled when she was awake. We have seen that gummy smile several times this week. Yeah!

Tonight Lexi took her first bath where she didn't cry, we could hardly believe it. She also went to sleep like a charm at 8:00. Hopefully this will continue. Maybe that 2 month magic date has hit and we'll wake up in the morning running to her bed to see if she is still breathing....of course she will be, just slept through the night. One can wish, right?!?

Lexi is getting out her running legs and biking legs and gabbing up a storm. She looks at times as if she will flip over onto her back at any moment. Somehow that basketball round belly that she has with the cork stopper popping out seems to help in the turning and stopping. Ha!

Mommy is getting out on her own a bit. She went on her first 2 hour bike ride with a friend today, managed to go for a run this week, and runs errands while leaving Lexi behind with our sitter. Freedom, Sweet Freedom.

Yep, sitter. We have an incoming 7th grader that lives down the street coming to get experience with Lexi while one of us is at home. She is doing great! Cheap labor and a ton of help when I can get in a shower or run or just clean up while she holds Lexi on a fussy day, or plays with Lexi when she is awake. A couple hours here and there allows her to get some money to pay her texting bill. She is a quick learner and has fared well through some of Lexi's cranky moments. I don't know when I'll leave her by herself, but as long as we are in the area and her mom is home maybe sometime sooner than I had anticipated.

Lexi's room is getting closer to being done. Just waiting on some wall art that a friend is painting before hanging any of the other stuff. Her butterfly rug came this week and her crib is made. We'll be moving her to her crib soon, atleast for naps for the time being until she gets closer to sleeping through the night. Most nights she'll go a 5 hour stretch first, than a 3 hour stretch second. Sometimes she fights going back to sleep at 4 or 5 in the morning...I think she hears the birds and thinks...yeah, time to keep mommy and daddy up. Well, bedtime while we can. I"ll post more pictures next week!

Sunny Days

Lexi and I went for our daily walk this morning with Mariah and along the way we hit our motherload rummage sales. Mommy had to stop as she could have bought out ahead so far, as there were many cute things and in great shape. We ended up buying mom a stylish diaper bag and Lexi a few hats, winter coats (for a few years down the road), little red shoes, black dress shoes, tennis shoes, a swimsuit for next summer and a few winter outfits for down the road. Although it was warm, we went at 8 a.m. Yesterday we went shopping at the mall with Erika and Miss Charlotte. Mommy didn't find any good deals for a summer dress that fit her so I'm sure we will go out again sometime in the near future.

My Basketball girl

Lexi made it to her first basketball game tonight. We went to watch the middle schoolers play and Lexi showed no interest. Hmm...we'll have to work on that. Lexi is growing by the minute, she seems huge to me, but know she still is just a little pipsqueak. She is starting to talk and has been such a good little girl, even with the spit ups all over mommy. Very alert and watching everything around her. We have been walking with our neighbor during the week. Trying to shed these last 15 pounds.....once I get running they will melt off, right?? Well, Daddy is watching Lexi right now, but it sounds like he is building a shelf instead, so I'm going to go rescue her.

1 month!

YIPEE! It is hard to believe that Lexi is 1 month old today! We have been adjusting, but the past two weeks it has been hard. She is fighting falling asleep during the day, fussy when she is awake and spitting up all the time. We walked to Walgreens yesterday and picked up some Mylicon, next step is Gripe water then to Zantax. We went to Babys R Us this week and she did great. Slept the whole time of course as she needs movement. She reminds me when the cart stops by screaming out. I threw her in the sling and tried to do some weeding, which posed a little difficult, but she fell asleep. We also took a walk around the block in the sling last night.

Wednesdays we go to Mommy Class, which brings some sanity for mom. If Lexi isn't screaming, another baby is....but atleast we can commiserate together. I get lots of ideas and even more reassurance. We made our first long trip to Wausau last weekend. We had to stop to feed along the way, but she was a peach. We'll try to post today's pictures (this was from Wed.) if Lexi cooperates, or at the very least, more from Wed. :)