Where Did My Smiler Go?

I apologize for not writing on this blog in so long! I have been so busy over at The Review Stew cooking up so many great review and giveaways for all my great readers!!!

However, I have had a ton on my mind but have just pushed it to the back for another day....that doesn't seem to work very often though...it tends to build up and explode at some point. Which may explain why I have been short and impatient with my husband and tiring very easily of the screams and tantrums of my little guy.

First off, where did my smiler go? Where did my little funny, happy baby son go? Somewhere along the 8-9 month mark my happy joyful laughing baby boy disappeared. He has been replaced with a crabby, cranky, whiny, screamy, drooling 9 month old baby! He can't handle me leaving the room and he crieds and whines ALL THE TIME!!!!!!!!!!! I miss my little happy baby.... I know he is teething and growing and learning this silly separation anxiety (who taught him that anyway...) so there are a lot of changes in his life but OH do I miss my little smiler and laugher!

Can anyone tell me how long this will last or when I can expect my happy baby to be returned to me?

That is just one of my issues that I am trying to deal with right now....I will keep the others for another time. I don't want to make you all think I have issues or something.... :o)

Just wanted to let you all know I am still alive over here on The Hardest Job on Earth...even though I might not feel like it somedays...

Feel free to leave me your thoughts, experiences with your 9 month olds, and any encouragement would be great!

This pic will help me remember there is a smile in him somewhere...

Making My Own Baby Food???

 

So I really want to start making my own baby food now that summer is here and the vegetables and fruits are in season (and cheaper!) But I am having trouble on deciding what food processor to buy! I have looked at so many and I just don't know which one to go with! The pictures are some of the ones I am considering. Do you use any of these and do you recommend them?

I know many of you make your own baby food so if you do, please give me some feedback! Which blender/food processor do you use to make your baby food? Any tips on how to do it?

I would appreciate all your help! Thanks!

Some Weight Loss News!

Well, it has been about two weeks since I vowed to lose the baby weight!

I decided to work really hard and not weigh myself every day. I decided to wait two weeks to weigh myself again.

I fulfilled most of my goals - I did my pilates and went on walks everyday with my son. I even had some busy days with my sister graduating and a visit to my parents but if I didn't get the chance to work out I just tried to watch what I ate.

Well, I am happy to announce that after 2 weeks the scale read......that I had lost 5 lbs! I was so excited!

I hope to keep this up and keep the scale going down.

O when O when are his teeth coming in?

Ughh! My son is so crabby! He has been teething literally for about 4 months and every time he is really crabby I think he is getting his teeth in! But he never has! Now he is almost 8 months old still without teeth!

Well this week he has been his ultimate worst! He is chewing on everything...even sticks things in his mouth and crawls around while biting on it - it is actually quite funny! But I feel really bad for him because I think he is in a lot of pain but they just won't come in!

When did your child's first teeth come in? Were they one of the bottom two? Feel free to vote in my poll above and let me know your teething experience!

And pray that my son gets his teeth very soon..cause I want my happy smiley baby back!

I just can't seem to get past it...

So..I have had trouble breastfeeding from the minute my son was born...it crushed me then and it crushes me now...

I just always had this thought in my head that I would be like my mom...she had 8 children and breastfed every single one of them until they were two years old.

I never thought I would have a problem...my breasts tripled in size one month after I got pregnant so I figured I definitely had enough room to hold milk for my little guy!

But when he was born...I waited and waited for my milk to come. I held him and stayed up with him for 5 nights straight as he cried and cried from hunger. Finally, it seemed that I started to produce enough to at least nourish him.

That lasted for about 6 weeks. I then noticed my son wasn't gaining any weight. I couldn't believe it! I was going to have to feed him formula - my poor son was starving! I felt so bad then and cried and cried for days! I not only couldn't produce milk like a mother should but I was also starving my son and not providing for him like I should! It took a long time to get past it and accept feeding him formula (I still don't know if I am past it...)

I finally came to grips with the fact that I would supplement the formula with my breastmilk. I pumped and pumped and fed and fed as much as I could to keep my supply up! I told myself I wasn't going to give up - my son would get my immunity and vitamins from breastfeeding and still get full from the formula. It got to the point where I was literally feeding him every 1 hour! But I wasn't going to give up! It was so important to me!

Now he is 7 months old...for the last couple of months it has been a fight every time to get him to latch on and suck for awhile...I knew he was getting milk but he just didn't have the patience anymore to sit and drink from a slow producing breast...But I still wasn't going to give up....I wanted to make it to at least 1 year!

Well, lately my hopes are disappearing. The last couple of days he has just cried when I tried to breastfeed him. He doesn't want it all anymore.

It is so hard for me to write this...but I think it might finally help me accept it. I am finally done breastfeeding my son. It kills me..it makes me feel like a failure as a mother. I have nothing against formula feeding women...after all I am one. But I just had this hope in my mind of at least supplementing with breastmilk until he was one.

I seriously can't come to grips with it. I keep thinking "I need to breast feed him when he wakes up" or "What shirt or bra should I wear today that will give quick access to feed him". I just can't seem to accept it. It makes me so sad and I cry as I write this.

I don't understand why it was so hard for me. I don't understand why God wouldn't want me to feed my son the best food he can have at this age. I don't understand why I couldn't provide for my son as a mother should. Why can't I breastfeed him sufficiently when I want to so bad but yet see mothers who can but choose not to! These are all questions that are running through my head and I can't seem to help it.

Will I ever be able to breastfeed my children in the future?

I hope some of you can give me some insight, support, similar stories or prayers. Most of all I need prayers to accept this and move on. I sometimes feel like the only one - the only bad mother who can't breastfeed her child like she should....I just can't seem to get past it.

Friday Follow Me!

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!

 

IT is finally Friday - and a holiday weekend too! Can't get much better than that!

Feel free to look around! This blog is dedicated to honoring all mothers and sharing our experiences with each other! Sometimes, it is the only way I get through some days! :o)

Go ahead - grab my button, tell me when your child got their first tooth (waiting for my little one to get his) in the poll above or just tell me what you are doing this weekend!

I would love to have you join me on my journey through motherhood! Thanks for stopping by!

Looking for some healthy food for your children?

Some of my favorite brands of baby and children's food is Happy Baby and YoBaby. They both make healthy, organic food for babies. I am just starting to feed solids to my little guy and I make sure everything he eats is organic to give him the best foods possible and to keep pesticides out of his body!

One of my favorite blogs, Your World: Healthy and Natural talks about pesticides and the dangers of them in our lives, bodies, and food. You can read it here.

Cara also has some great giveaways going on to help you get started eliminating those pesticides from your food! Go enter to win a huge Happy Baby prize pack and YoBaby prize pack! Put your child's health in safer hands - get them started on organic food today!

Time to Kick Butt....My Butt

Well...I am on a mission...maybe it is the weather, maybe it is the mirrors at the clothing stores, maybe it is the big cool pool in the backyard that I embarrassed to use, maybe it is my poor self image but...

I am ready to get back in shape and lose the baby weight. I have been slowly trying in my half way effort that I do... but I am ready to do it all out..100% effort because I know I can do it - I know I can lose it and I know I can feel good again.

I go through these spurts a lot in my life...gain and lose, gain and lose. But I never thought it would be this hard to lose weight after the baby - I am dumb I know!

But here is my resolution to myself - I am going to lose 25 lbs. That is my overall goal. Here are my other goals:

-Lose 25 lbs by the end of summer - by September hopefully - for sure October - my baby's first birthday

-work out/walk with my son during the day and do my pilates and weight lifting at the beginning of his nap

-go running at night (I hate running!) but I am going to really try to go right after my son goes to sleep

-go on walks with my husband and son when my husband gets home from work

-eat healthier

I am going to do this! I have written it and I am going to make all of you hold me to it! I know I can do it because I love to stay active and feel good about myself! I just kept telling myself I would start trying more when I finally got more sleep at night and wasn't so tired...Well I am still tired but I am just going to set my mind to it and DO IT!!!

So here is to my weight loss! Please encourage me in any way you can and I will keep you up to date on my progress! I know there are many people and mothers out there like me so let's encourage each other along the way! WE CAN DO IT!!!

Wordless and Wordful on this Wednesday

Happy Birthday To The Wonderful Boys in My Life!

 Happy 7 Month Birthday Today Buddy! Mommy Loves You!

Monday Monkey Minute

Have you ever peed in the shower/bath/pool?
Yes to shower and pool - I don't think I want to sit in my own pee though so I don't do it in the bath :) (This info is probably way more than you ever wanted to know about me but I am just answering the questions!)

What is your biggest pet peeve?

hmm...but there are so many! :) Bad manners is a big one and.... I hate when people drive with their blinkers on on the freeway! :)

What's the story behind your blog title?

I think motherhood is the hardest job on earth and I thought it fit every subject that I would talk about on here and would give me the invitation to vent whenever I felt like it....and I invite people to do the same! :)

What is your definition of success?

Happiness and completing your goals! 

If you were famous, what would you want to be famous for?

Being a great mother and athletic trainer!!

A Day Brightener - Thank you for the award!

I have received another award!!! This is just what I needed this week!

Thank you so much to Tree over at Mother of Pearl It Is! You are so sweet!! You made my day...and my week for that matter!

Here are The Rules of this Award:

1. Thank the person who gave you this award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Pass the award along to 10 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic!

4. Contact the bloggers you've picked and let them know about the award.

So, the 7 things about myself are:

1) I have a Bachelor's of Athletic Training
2) I used to work at a Division I college with the Track and Field/Cross Country Teams and I miss them!
3) I am now a stay at home mom
4) My husband designs tools that mechanics/and possibly your husbands use to fix their cars
5) My son is 7 months old next week!
6) I love to play sports of all kind
7) I want to move somewhere warmer and someplace that has decent weather all year round!

Here are my ten blogs that I am awarding this award to!

1- Cameron @ A Mommy's Dreams about Diapers and More (I love her title)

2- Maria @ Fitted and pockets and snappis oh my (I am starting to cloth diaper so her blog is helpful!)

3- Tiffany @ My Crazy Kind of Wonderful (I love her blog heading!)

4- Kirsten @ Diapers and Dandelions (She is balancing grad school and a family!)

5- The Drama Mama @  The Scoop on Poop (I love her blog title!)

6- Cara @ Your World: Healthy and Natural (She has so many great health tips!)

7- Happy Grandma @ The Happiest Family on The Block (I love her big family and I can relate to it!)

8- Mama Riser @ The Tale of Baby Riser (She is a first time mommy like me!)

9- Magee Mommy @ Magee Baby (She is expecting a little girl and her little boy is so cute!)

10-Tethered Mommy @ Tethered Mommy (I love her blog layout/design!)

Do you like to cook?

Ok, so I am going to explain the reason I put up that fun little poll you all have been taking at the top of my blog for the last of couple weeks...

I HATE to cook! I don't find it fun, exciting, rewarding, or challenging...I just hate it. I didn't receive that great cooking gene from anyone...and in all truth..my mom doesn't like to cook either..she just had to. And that is kind of how I feel too.

I dont know why...I just feel like it is a burden more than joy. I don't really think it is exciting or fun or rewarding when I accomplish a great recipe...I just feel relief. I dread 4:30 every day when I have to start supper and I hate even more trying to figure out what to cook!

My husband has about as many skills as I do in the kitchen. I always told myself that I was going to marry a chef...hmm...once again...life never turns out quite like you expect. :)  He is hates it and is about as bad as I am...therefore, creating quite a bad meal situation in our house!

However, I have been getting better lately. I am trying really hard to balance it all with my new son and having a good meal ready when my husband gets home! I want to do it for him! I know he loves my meals and always compliments me no matter what they taste like! He is very appreciative and that is what makes it a little easier. I just remember who I am cooking for and that he appreciates it!

But anyways...that is why I did the poll above. I wanted to see if there was any other women out there like me that don't enjoy cooking! I was happy to see that 16 fellow cooking haters are out there! Thanks for the feedback everyone!

If you love cooking...give me some tips to loving it...

If you hate cooking...tell me why and how you do it in your house...do you still cook or does someone else do it?

Happy Monday All!

Happy Mother's Day!

I just wanted to say Happy Mother's Day to everyone! After all, that is what this blog is here for - to honor all mothers out there - and what a better day than today!

I hope you all get to take time for yourself, remember your blessings, and get a nice warm bubble bath, a glass of wine, a massage, spa appointment, time with your family, or whatever else relaxes you! No other day is dedicated to us Mother's for the rest of the year - take advantage of it while you can! :)

Have a happy Mother's Day everyone! You deserve this day to be honored! And don't forget your own mothers! They worked hard to raise you to be a good mother!

Feel free to share what your plans are, what you did, what your children/husband did for you, or what relaxes you! I am excited to hear!

Happy Mother's Day Mom! Thanks for all your sacrifices and love!

Thank You Very Much!

I found this great blog, The Daily Dribbles, and I am joining in her Thank You Very Much Thursday!

"It's Free Therapy Day!! That's right, it's Thursday, which means it's the Thank You Very Much day. The way it works is that you take out all your frustrations on people/things that peeved you off during the week and thank them in a very sarcastic way, for being who or what they are/doing what they did. I know everyone can use some free therapy, so go ahead and type yours out, grab my button from my sidebar, and then link up with me so that we can all share in each other's therapy."

For my very cute little niece and nephew that I was so fortunate to visit this weekend...THANK YOU VERY MUCH for getting my little boy sick. It is his first cold and he is very miserable...thank you very much for that!


For Mr. "I won't say his name" who is being sooooo crabby to me today...thank you very much honey, I love you too. Thanks for making my day so less stressful!


For the birds who are so lovely and beautiful as they sing outside my window, thank you very much for starting my morning at 4 am as you started your morning singing to me!


For the little lazy woman in me..thank you very much for giving me no drive to get dressed in the morning in regular clothes, clean the house, or cook supper. You make my day that much better...and make Mr. Nameless that much more crabby to me...

It's Thursday Everyone!! One more day til the weekend! Tell me your frustrations today! It's great therapy! :)

Looking At Motherhood Together

Today I am "Looking at Motherhood" with Rebecca over at The Blessings of Modern Domestication

Looking at Motherhood Together:

1. What is one thing you wish someone had told you about being a mom?
That I would be so tired all the time...oh wait they did...but I just didn't get it

2. What is the most embarrassing thing you’ve experienced as a mother?
My son grunting as he poops right in the middle of a sermon in church while it is very quiet!

3. What's been your lowest point?
I would say it has been ok so far - the lowest points are the days where I am so tired and hungry from taking care of the little man all day that I haven't ate or slept...and when my husband comes home I just cry and cry out of frustration...and today has been pretty low - my son has his first cold/fever and won't sleep.

4. What's been the most rewarding?
Giving birth to my precious son and earning the title Mother... and his smiles make it worth it every day!

5. Describe a mommy moment that transformed you so much so, you will never forget it nor are you the same since?
The moment my son turned and looked at me after he was born on the nurses table while he was getting checked over. I will never forget that look and his precious face as I said "oh he is so cute!"

6. Are you more relaxed or paranoid since becoming a mother?
paranoid - I seem to worry about everything which in turn makes me even more parnoid and the circle continues...I hope it will get better the older and more children I have

7. Did you plan on becoming a mother or were you taken by surprise?
I have always planned to be a mother and God has graciously answered my prayers!

8. Were [or are] you close with your mom?
I am closer to her now then I used to be...but we are very different

9. What family tradition do you want to pass down?
My faith, going to church, popcorn on Sunday nights, making family a priority!

10. If you could start over, what would you do differently?
I don't think there is much to do differently - maybe take more naps - yes I would definitely try to take more naps! :)


Comments always welcome!

Nicknames

When I used to live at home with my parents and family, my Dad had a nickname for all 8 children..in fact, we rarely get called by our actual names (it usually meant somebody was in trouble) Sometimes I wondered if my dad really knew our real names...plus the names always changed and evolved over the years! I don't think the tradition will continue in my house but my son is so young it is hard to tell! :)

So I will tell you some of my nicknames growing up and a couple that are in my house now...I don't know why I am divulging these embarrassing details of growing up....

My nicknames from my dad - Strong, Straw, Stringtie, Gail (don't ask I have no idea - I am just happy most of mine were girl's names because most of my sisters had boys names as nicknames! :), Marcy, Charlie the Tuna (don't ask again)

Some of the other nicknames in the house for my siblings...Carpetbagger, Cando, Chief, Warrior, Pucky, Tiny, Dave (for my sister), Chick, Chickly

And in my house now:
For my husband: Bubba, honey (boring)
My son: JB, Bubbs, bud bud,
Mine: Baby girl, Honey Bun, honey (boring)

Alright, now that I am completely embarrassed and stripped of any dignity....Have A Great Week!

Five Question Friday

1. If you could, would you go back to high school? Yes, it was my favorite time in school ever! I loved playing sports and all the friends and fun I had!




2. If a genie appeared and granted you two wishes, what would they be? (And, no saying "more wishes".)


1. Please grant me the money to go on lots of fun and exotic trips with my family


2. Keep my family healthy and safe






3. What kids show do you secretly like? umm...hmm...my son is a little too young for kid's shows yet and I haven't watched any since forever....but I like disney movies and american idol....do those count?






4. What is your beverage of choice? I drink lots of water and I like wine! :)






5. What is something that you would change about yourself (or are working to change in yourself)? To be patient, trust in God about everything in my future, and be more clean and work on cooking...I have lots to work on!

Table Topics Tuesday

I am joining in Table Topics Tuesday at the Nuthouse.
The question of the day is "if you were to get a tattoo right now, what would it be?"

If I would get a tattoo (and most people know I would never get one because I am deathly afraid of needles) I would get one that meant a lot which would be my son's footprint with his name and date of birth. But I would need to have someone there with me who knows what I am getting because I would need to be either drugged, drunk, or dead before I got one!

 

 

I think there may be ants in my pants...

So...I have locked myself away in the top level of my house for the day because...my house has a major ant problem! We had a little bit of problem last fall when we moved in, but it eventually went away. Now that spring is here, they are back in full force! We have tried everything and they are worse than every before. Today I found them filling our bathroom. They are not after anything that I can tell - I have scrubbed and cleaned everything in sight. They are just a lost group of ants. Let me tell you why...

So I found out today after we called a pest control person that you should never wash the countertops or floors where ants have been because they leave a scent behind that helps them get back home..where they belong (think hansel and gretel). So what have I done?!! Well, of course I scrubbed and cleaned everytime we had a rush of ants. They are so gross to me - near my baby's food, my food, and everything else in sight! OF course I would clean!

Bad idea I guess because now do I not only have a million gazillion ants running around my house...they are now lost and aimlessly drifting even farther around the house with no hope to find their way back home! AHHHHHHHHH!

So..if anyone has any suggestions for me that have worked for you, let me know! Just talking about it makes me feel like I have a bazillion ants crawling all over my body...

And..by the way....my tip for the day....DON'T wash anything if you have an ant problem...let them find their little scents back home!