7 months

It's amazing how fast the time has flown by with the second child. I feel like there is so much I wanted to do with her as a baby and as far as she has come she still has so far to go and I wonder what the next five months will bring.

Right now she is 20-21lbs. (20lbs. 70z. as of her 6 month check up) that is the 99% percentile. Actually she is off the charts. To put that in persepective I have friends whose 1 year olds are between 20 and 22 lbs. She is 26.5 inches. So equally growing in height as she is in weight. It's going to be about time to move her from the snugride to a regular car seat. Though we are holding out cause it's just too damn cold out to be fumbling in my car trying to install the new one.

With all that said she is continuing to hone in on some skills. She is sitting up really well. And hit that grabby stage. You know the one where you have to move anything and everything out of a 10 foot radius of her because she WILL get into it. Yeah we are there. The tissue box is the worst. Every time I turn around and then look back she has another tissue in her hand in complete shreds. *sigh*

A typical scene in my house of late. Her relationship with Mason has become one of love and hate. Sophie so close to being on the move, Mason finds it very difficult to come to terms with her touching his cars. Which are EVERYWHERE. Enter the stage of lessons in sharing. Which honestly is going to be a bit difficult when I myself at the age of 30 find it difficult to share certain things (namely stuff in my scrapbook room and certain foods). Maybe this will be a lesson learned for all of us. Either way it's going to be a long, constant running lesson. I feel this.

Speaking of on the move. She is so so so so close to crawling it is killing me. She gets up on her hands and knees and rocks back and forth. She can push backwards and go side to side but not forward. And she gets SO FRUSTRATED when she sees something she wants and can't get to it. I'm all like, I hear ya girl. It's frustrating for me to. JUST CRAWL ALREADY! Though I also know that once that happens all the toys constantly on the floor need to be cleaned up, we gotta go shopping for new baby gates that fit the stairs, and I gotta be on my toes aware of where she is at all ALL times. Am I really ready for that?

*as a side note, she just turned 8 months on thursday and learned how to push herself up into a sitting position. She had no idea why we were clapping and cheering for her but she loved it just the same. Still no crawling. And while Mason was off and moving fast at this point, I am trying really hard to remember she is a different person and develops in her own way. And to not constantly compare her to Mason.

The Sickies

Our home has been invaded by the yucky icky sickies. It started off with Mason having what we though was a harmless cold. Then Sophie showing signs of that cold. Then Sophie vomiting. And with the knowledge of our friends child having RSV, who we spent some time with that weekend, off to the ER we went. Some Zofran, a test and a dinosaur shaped nebulizer later it was confirmed. RSV had penetrated my sweet little babies vulnerable immune system. Just had to monitor her the next few days. That didn't seem so bad.

Then Mason peed his bed. He's NEVER done that. He didn't even wake up and it was a struggle to do so just to change his sheets and pajamas. He got upset when he noticed his clothes were wet. He'd had not idea. Then back to bed. Upon waking up the following morning he started complaining about his ear hurting. The doctors office not being open yet not much we could do. But he's complained about stuff like this before. But than again he was acting excessively fussy and a little lethargic. Then he vomitted. And continued to do so for the next four hours. Even in the waiting room of the doctors office. It was confirmed. He had an ear infection. My poor baby boy. Once home he got the first dose of bubble gum flavored amoxicillin. And you know what they haven't changed that formula in 20+ years because it smelled just how I remembered it from childhood. So sick and tired he couldn't find the energy to go upstairs to get some rest. Instead he curled up on the floor behind the couch with his pillow, Thomas blanket and Lovies and was passed out by the time I turned around. He stayed there for his entire 3 hour nap. He was definitely sick and feeling bad because it takes quite a lot to slow down my powerhouse of a son.

Once the amoxicillin was in his system he was like his old self again. And I felt a little bit guilty for wishing he was still sick because at least then he had slowed down to a pace I could keep up with. While he was on the mend Sophie was seemingly getting worse. Very difficult for her to breathe and a fever as high as 103.9. At the same time Mason woke up with a barky, seal like cough, all too reminiscent of the croup he had just after Christmas back in 2007. Back to the doctors for a third time. Here it was determined that Mason had the RSV first but only presented itself as a cold since he is older and passed it on to Sophie. His ear looked fine but confirmed he has the croupy sound in his lungs. Sophie's ear showed a slight redness, swelling but hard to tell due to wax. Nose extremely stuffed and also presenting the croupy cough. Not much we can do but monitor her fever.

Oh did I mention that Fred has it too? The wet cough, sore throat, cold symptoms. I have managed to stay fairly healthy. One morning of vomit and sore throat, stuffy nose but after a good days sleep I am better. So as I said we have a house full of the yucky, icky, sickies and I CAN'T WAIT till Spring.

*as a side note. The kiddos are on the mend. Hardly hear the croupy cough if at all. Sophie is breathing MUCH better. Fever gone. Keeping my fingers crossed that nothing new pops up and we are heading into the clear for the remainder of the season.

Cottonelle Contest Winners

You can see the winners here as they were randomly selected by Mom Bloggers Club. Unfortunately, no winners from my blog readers.

One little word: 2010

It seems so cliche to make New Years Resolutions. I stopped making them in college as I never managed to follow through longer than a week with any resolution I've made for myself. New Years or not.

Ali Edwards has been doing a tradition since 2007. Choosing a single word each January to focus on over the course of the year. I dig this concept. Despite my past failures with making resolutions I feel this one little word is something I could achieve. Resolutions are motivated by "shoulds" and to me have a negative connotation. I see as something I should be doing but am not, therefore, I have failed. One reason why they don't work for me. Words have energy and meaning. Full of intention which in turn is powerful. Ali says your word is meant to teach you about you, and enrich your life. Whether it be tangible, intangible, a thought, a feeling or emotion; the point is to choose a word that could positively impact your life.

I have put a lot of thought into my word this year. Done a lot of research. Made a list.

Patience.

Calm.

FearLESS.

Courage.

Simplify.

Today.

Faith.

The word Today came to me mostly after taking Ali's class. Seeing photos of my past, my families past. Seeing photos from my present. My children, my husband. Knowing that life so much shorter than we ever imagine it could be or will ever be. I want to enjoy this time these moments. Right now. I will never be here again. My kids will never be this young, this innocent, this loving, this honest as they are today. I will never be this young, this beautiful, this hopeful as I am right now. I want to savor this. To live in the moment and treasure what I have right in front of me everyday before it slips away. No longer clinging to the past or worrying about the future. Right here right now. It's what matters.

FearLESS came to me when I realized that I don't do things that I truly want to do out of fear. Fear that something will go wrong. Fear that I or Mason or Sophie will get hurt. Fear that I won't be liked. Fear that I will not be good enough, smart enough, strong enough. I no longer what to live my life in fear. But I know myself enough to realize that saying I will live without fear is impossible and unreasonable. So that is why I emphasize the LESS. Having less fear in my life. Seems more manageable. More doable. Therefore able to have more fun, be happier and enjoy life.

Patience was one of the first things that came to my mind when discussing my one word. AS well as Simplify. With two kids three and under you can imagine the chaos and turmoil I feel in my life. I want things to slow down. To be easier. I need to be able to let things go and not be so much in control. To have lots of patience with my children. When they misbehave, when they cry, when they struggle, when they learn. I get frustrated so easily and lose my cool way too often. More often than I should. So I need to learn to breathe, slow down, relax and stay calm.

In listing and discussing all these word I realized they all had something in common. Whether it be something I need to subtract or something I want to bring into my life they all had one unifying theme. And my word hit me. It encompassed everything I want/need in my life right now.

I need peace in my life. Mentally, emotionally, creatively and spiritually. I'm at a place I hate to be and there needs to be a change, a shift. It's not that I necessarily crave the absence of conflict in my life but the ability to cope with it. I found a great quote online.

"Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise,

trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of all those things

and still be calm in your heart." --Unknown

This is exactly what I hope to bring into my life and reflect on my scrapbook pages and honestly my blog.

So as I go forth in the year twenty ten I look forward to the change that is possible and where my one little word will take me.

Team Over

This is a big debate in my household. As you have learned I like to have the roll going over. It flows off easier. My husband, likes to have it under. And it DRIVES ME NUTS. But one thing I have learned over the last 4+ years of marriage is that you pick your battles. Toilet paper is not worth it. And even now I've stopped secretly changing the roll to over whenever I'm in the bathroom. Maybe that's why I've found empty rolls on the dispenser lately? Hmm. Anyway.

Cottonelle is hosting a contest to win a month's worth of toilet paper. If you want to win, just as I do, cast your vote here. If you just want to join the conversation, leave a comment below and you will be entered to win 1 of 10 Cottonelle gift baskets randomly chosen on January 29, 2010 from all entries.

Good luck and I'd love to hear all your opinions. Are you team over or under?

It happened...

The moment every mother dreads. Your child decides they don't like you.

After disciplining my son quite sternly, maybe a little bit more than I should have, crying and clearly upset he stood in front of me in the kitchen and said with all his three year old fury, "I don't like you mommy. I don't like you." It took everything I had to not break down in tears and fall apart right there in front of him. Instead I just looked at him, adjusted Sophie on my hip, took a deep breathe and walked away. Meanwhile my heart breaking into a million pieces.

I knew at some point he would utter these words to me after telling him he couldn't do something he really wanted to do or putting him in time out or some other discipline that makes me the most horrible mother in the world. However, I thought I still had at least a good 5 years left till then. Deep down I think I know he is only saying it because he is upset and mad at me and doesn't really mean what he says. But still it is the hardest thing to hear.

I now understand what I put my parents through growing up. When I would yell at them, screaming that I hated them. How much it must have hurt to hear that. How much strength it must have took to not retaliate with something just as harsh but to just sit there and take it. Having hope that I honestly still loved them despite my insensitive outburst of words and always holding love for me.

Just one more example of how becoming a mother (parent) has given me insight into the world of my own parents and allowed me to fully appreciate them.

December Daily: Days 19, 20, 21, 22

Day 19

This day was supposed to be our Family Christmas with my Mom's family (the Seaman Clan) but the 12+ inches of snow we got cancelled those plans. So being snowed in we decided to have movie day. And of course Mason chose to watch The Polar Express. His new favorite movie. This year was the first any of us had seen the film and it is really good. One of the better kids movies. I really like the message of the film as well. I believe this will have a permanent spot on our list of movies to watch during the holidays from now on. Here is a better look at the page. I did it all digitally in Photoshop Elements. The photo I picked up of the internet.

Supplies: Fiskars apron lace border punch, Digital Winter Ribbon (mfr. unknown)

Day 20

Supplies: Martha Stewart doily lace border punch, paper bag, PSE 8.0

For this day I created a ticket stub in Photoshop Elements for the date. I think it turned out pretty good. I then printed out a few pictures I took of our house and around our neighborhood. Then placed them into the paper bag.

Here are a few of the photos I took and placed in the bag for the day. It's a good documentation of how much snow we actually got. I think a few of them might be an idea for a Christmas card next year.

Supplies: Ali Edwards Holiday Word Art, Katie Pertiet cut ups Christmas

Day 21

I honestly don't remember what we did this day. I didn't write anything down and I didn't have any pictures. So I had to get creative.

I'm a big fan of music. I like to listen to it to cheer me up, get me moving or help me when I am being creative. I especially LOVE Christmas music. Though I do believe there is a time and limit as to when it should be played. Yes. I am talking to you WASH FM. Who plays Christmas music 24/7 even before Thanksgiving. Totally ridiculous. I even heard a few stores playing it during the month of November. I mean really? Just ridiculous. I can't get into the holiday spirit until Thanksgiving is over at the earliest. December 1st is really a lot more reasonable. And to retailers who put out holiday (really any holiday) items out way before even Halloween. I know the economy is suffering and you are trying to get the most money possible to stay alive. But seriously? No wonder we are all Christmased out by the time it actually arrives. It is being stuffed down our throats for three months! And case in point I saw Valentine's candy and other items at the grocery store today as well as Bathing suits at Target a few days after Christmas. Bathing suits. Really? REALLY!?

Anyway I digressed. The point is that I love Christmas music and have an overabundance of it on my iPod. Over 200. Thank you iTunes, my sister, Jenni and Aunt Vicki for helping make that possible. I listen to it when decorating the tree. When cooking sometimes. And of course when making our family tradition sugar cookies on Christmas Eve. So it seems only appropriate to give my Christmas playlist it's own page in my December album.

Supplies: iTunes, AC calendar date rubons, rubons mfr. unkown, Martha Stewart acrylic stamps

iTunes has a feature that you can print a playlist for a CD jewel case insert. I chose the style of mosaic for my playlist. Then printed it out on photo paper and attached it to the back of the paper bag for day 20. Which conveniently had the FA LA LA stamped on it. Then added the 21 and happy holiday rub-ons.

Day 22

Today, I think , is one of the cutest photos and the sweetest stories.

It started off as a normal day. Me and the kids in our pajamas sitting in front of the tube for the majority of the morning. But seeing as my Mother-in-Law was arriving that evening we couldn't stay like this all day. So off to take a shower. I left Mason downstairs to watch his new favorite show, The Fresh Beat Band. Sophie was put in the bouncer why I showered. I was half expecting Mason to appear with a bucket full of cars to play with in the tub like he usually does. But not this time. I got dressed and dressed Sophie then placed her in front of the full length mirror in our bedroom while I blow dried my hair. Suddenly I see Mason race across the room and plop down next to Sophie. And there they are, my two cuties, sitting in front of the mirror looking at themselves, each other and I couldn't resist. I grabbed my camera and clicked away.

Here is a close up:

Supplies: Ali Edwards Remember Word Art

and yes, the baby plummer's crack is quite adorable too. Don't think that hasn't been pointed out to me a few times in showing this album around.

I'm glad I got this memory documented. It is moments like this that I want to remember 1, 2..., 10 years down the line.

With the holidays at an end. Finally. I am desperately trying to play catch up with my album. So stay tuned for more pages to be posted s they are finished.