oh blog i have missed you

It has been forever since I have blogged! I don't even know where to start..our cruise, christmas, izzy update? Too much I feel a little overwhelmed. I think I will do a breif paragraph on each instead of all seperate posts.

The Cruise
Well we survivied! The weather was by far the best part. It was gorgeous everyday. We played at the beach and the pool and loved the weather. I will for sure NEVER cruise again with a toddler and the next time (if there is one) that I cruise I will pay for the balcony room. 110% worth every penny. Our windowless shoebox felt very cramped especially with three of us and Iz sleeping in our bed everynight! Other than the weather, I enjoyed seeing izzy spend time with my younger brother and with her two cousins that we dont' see near as much as we should. Definately not very relaxing but i really did enjoy the weather.

Christmas
Christmas was good this year, all of us were a little under the weather (pick up some germs on the lovely ship) but we made the most of it. I think Izzy enjoyed her gifts although she didn't get super duper excited about anything particular other than the candy in her stocking. She does like playing with her doctor kit and her tea set the most I would say. I really think she does not care much for the "dollie" (which is what she asked for from santa) I got her a super cute bitty baby honestly she could care less...maybe it will grow on her. Her favorite gift my parents brought over just the otehr day and it is her own little music player that came loaded with a bunch of kids songs and you can also load your own with the usb cord. She loves this..she can work it all by herself and seems to enjoy it the most. I loved watching her dance to the music.

Izzy Update
I feel bad i have not dedicated a solo post on what she is up to in her last month of being 2. I really can't beleive she is almost 3!!! Time sure flies and my little baby is growing up. We are thinking about redoing her room for her birthday, new paint, carpet and the twin size bed. We will see if we actually get to doing it in the next month. I am excited because i think it will be super cute, i just don't know if we will have time to pull it off.

The highlights of what is new with izzy are....she has been doing a bit better with the potty, and only wears pull ups at night and even that i think we could stop, she wakes up dry 90% of the time...we still however have serious #2 issues...she still is terrified of pooping and will only poop in a pull up. I would be fine with this if she would do it regularly but even with the mirilax she is holding it because she doesn't want to go. Poor kid was so miserable last night we had to take her to urgent care just to make sure nothing more serious was gonig on because her stomach hurt so much from holding the poop in. They took an xray and you could see the stool and pockets of gas in there ...she did have a bowel movement when we got home and then was like a different child, happy as could be. I really wish she would just let her body do what it needs to do. It is so frustrating because I feel like there is nothing that I can do to help her and I wish she would get past it already!

Sleeping has been better and worse. The process of going to sleep is much improved since we got home. She rarely gets out of bed when we put her down, and other than whining about not closing the door all the way she is really good...until sometime in the middle of the night when she comes down stairs and falls asleep on my floor or screams for me at teh top of the stairs. Some night she doesn't do it until early morning, like 6ish in which case we just put her in our bed...and other nights it is between 2-4 and if we know she has come down to our room we take her back to her bed and she will stay there till 7ish. I must say that the times we put her in bed like this morning and she snuggles with me and falls back asleep i really do enjoy it. I knwo she isn't going to be little forever so I am trying not to make a huge deal out of it. I am sure it is a phase and she will go through it when she is ready...

I have so much more to talk about but this is enough for now. I have a couple cute pictures to post and hopefully will get some of the x-mas eve pictures from my inlaws, our battery died after i took one picture of iz in her dress by the tree and I had forgotten the extra battery.

I don't think I have any more time to blog as I can hear izzy rolling around in her bed. I don't think she is going to nap today because i didn't get down until so late but at least she is enjoying (as am i) some quiet time in her room by herself. That is all I ask for :)

More soon I promise..i just had to get some of it off my chest

Getting ready for the cruise

Well our big family vacation is fast approaching, we leave for Florida a week from Friday and the ship sails a week from Saturday!!!!

I am excited for the weather but still stressed about packing, and how izzy is going to deal. With all the bedtime struggles we are having I can only imagine what is going to happen in that tiny closet of a room on the ship........the bonus though is Nana and Grandpa will be just across the hall and have already stated they plan on doing some babysitting at night. We will be packing the monitor!

Since our cruise has 2 formal nights and 2 smart casual nights I got to do a little dress shopping for miss izzy. I found the prettiest black/white and red dress for her I am so excited. Now we have to purchase some dress shoes, she has none. Even though this cruise is "free" (parents paid for actual cruise, we had airfare and extras on ship) it is going to end up costing us lots of money in new clothes :) DH bought some needed dress pants. I am going to bring 2 dresses i already have, neither of them are really "formal" but in my opinion good enough, i am not buying a formal dress for myself to wear once and never have chance to wear again....I would like to find a cute pair of pants or a skirt to wear with some cute tops i have for the smart casual nights but so far i have struck out. I have never been the most fashion forward so I struggle sometimes in taht department.

I am a bit stressed about packing, with all the extra dress clothes for dinner and stuff to keep izzy busy I think it will be a bit of a challenge to back reasonably...

I am also going to head to target or toy store in next couple days to buy a few new books/little toys to try to entertain busy izzy....thank god for portable dvd players i think that will be our most powerful weapon on teh plane and even at nigth time in the room.

I am excited about the weather, should be in the mid 80's in all the island stops...i am really looking forward to being able to relax at least one afternoon by the pool with my book while someone else chases around the kiddo!

Lets hope all goes well.

Bedtime Battle Update

Well I am happy to report things are a bit better so far with bedtime (we will see if i curse myself) After some googling and talking to friends we started the super nanny technigue of putting her right back in bed everytime she got out and not looking at or talking to her while we do it. The first night was AWFUL, same night as my previous post, it ended up taking 3 hours!!! till she went to sleep....last night it took less than an hour and today for her nap she really didn't put up a fight at all. The other change we made was put the cd player back in her room and put on the "Isabelle Lullaby music" that we got as a baby gift. It puts her name in a lot of the songs adn also has twinkle twinkle which is one of her favorites. It runs about 20-25 mins. Last night after it stopped she got out of bed, i put her back in and she asked for me to turn it on again, which I did. So I think she lieks the music...she is a big fan of "my songs" as she call it, any toddler music.

The new problem we ahve is now she wakes up too early and gets out of bed. This morning for the first time she was up at 5:30 and actually came all the way down into our bed..which she hasn't done before. DH put her in bed with us b/c he was too lazy to take her back to her bed...which he/I should have done and didn't oh well.

So my debate, do i get a toddler handle for her door so she can't get out or do i just deal with the life fact that she can get out of her bed and come downstairs on her own?

Also I am hoping that we have made some strides in teh potty deparment last couple days. She has been in underwear even at naps and kept them dry (one bonus of her potty stall before sleeping) We still have pooping issues, yesterday she pooped in her underwear.....which was so gross, i have gone to just throwing them away, they are not that expensive. But today she has tried two different times to poop on potty and actually sat there for quite a while trying, she didn't go but at least it is a step in teh right direction.

I am feeling much more postive and much less frustrated. Thank you to those that commented on my previous post. This too shall pass and before I know it she will be 16 and telling me she hates me !

Bedtime Battles

I have never been more frustrated as a parent as I have the last couple of days. (Not even when Iz was colicky the first few months of her life) I have no idea what happened to my sweet, easy going, good at going to bed toddler but she is gone and I WANT HER BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I knew that i never should have posted about her toddler bed transition because it most certainly has bitten me in the butt.

The last several days of nap and bedtime have been sheer torture. My child will scream, kick and carry on until her little body finally gives in. I am at my witts end! She is so irrational! We haven't changed anything! Her bedtime routine is the same. I don't get it! Now she will say she has to go potty about 3 times before bed. We rock her like always and then she needs another rock, then the real battle begins. Trying to get her to stay in her bed/room. The only way I have found is if I sit in the her room on the floor till she falls asleep. Depending on how long the battle has gone on depends on how long this will take. I just sat up there for over a half hour and she never fell asleep. She has NEVER done this before. What the HECK is goign on and how do I fix it??!!!!

Please I NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday Random Thoughts

I have missed my random mind dump of everything going on in my head. Last night when i couldn't sleep i thought of a bunch i wanted to blog about, this morning.......i am drawing a bit of a blank....i am just going to start and see what happens

---I can't believe next week is thanksgiving! Where did November go? I feel like time is going by so fast. We do thanksgiving at our house every year for two reasons 1.-it is fun to cook a fancy dinner once in a while, 2.-that way we don't have to pick my parents versus dh's parents since they both come to us. I think we have the menu about figured otu and along with what everyone else is bringing....now we just have to go shopping and clean the house (my least favorite part) I really wish we had a cleaning lady!

---Our family cruise is fast approaching.......we leave 3 weeks from today!!! I am trying to figure out why i am not more excited....i mean a 8 night cruise to the bahamas what is my problem??? I think i am starting to stress about how iz will handle it...even though everytime we travel I always worry and she more than exceeds my expectation. I already have her dramamine dose figured out just in case since she gets car sick occasionally and the last thing I want is for her to be ill the whole time. I am stressed about packing, and I am stressed about dealing with my family for that long.(i know that sounds terrible) I can't really stand my "sister" she is a selfish, whoa is me type of person that i have no patience for...and our rooms are right next store to each other and my parents will be across teh hall.....while this arrangement might work out for babysitting, i am hoping it doesn't make me crazy. I am hoping since there is such a variety of things to do we really won't see much of each other until dinner...i dont' knwo why i am not letting myself get excited, i should be excited..but instead i am nervous and stressed......

---I am still shocked at the transition to Izzy's toddler bed and how relatively easy it was......she does get out of bed after we put her to bed and turns on/off her humidifier and her night light but she never leaves her room, and always goes back in bed to go to sleep. In the morning she just hangs out till one of us comes to get her...she has yet to open her door and come downstairs like i thought for sure she would....i wonder what will happen when we go from the toddler bed to the twin....part of me is anxious so we can redocorate her room, we already have her twin bedding, we got it from my neice who out grew it and it is pottery barn teen, but super fun bright colors...but i don't want to rush it since she is doign so well right now.....maybe for her 3rd bday....

---I have a confesion to make, we still have not taken away Iz's binky.....she still naps and sleeps with it..........i know we should take it away but i am being a wimp about it......and now my latest excuse is i am waiting till after the cruise.......i am sure she will survive and I am sure she will throw a fit the first couple nights and then be fine...but i haven't done it because i don't want to deal with the tantrums and I am secretly hoping that one day she will just decide she is done with it.....even though this has yet to happen......

---We are still struggling with Izzy and her pooping issue. I feel like we have gone backwards in potty training. I have been putting her in pull ups even during the day just in case she has to poop. She still pees on the potty but she won't poop on the potty and is still fearful of pooping even in her pull up..she still has the fear that it hurts even though we have her on mirlax so her stools are soft and don't hurt (that is when i can get her to drink enough to take the full dose of miralax) It is so frustrating, i want to put her in underwear but i also don't wnat to make her fear of pooping worse! the pediatrician said it was fine she was in pull ups and it make take a few months for her to get over her fear...........urgh!!! That does not make me feel better! I wish there was somethign else i could do to help her with this.

---I have date night with my hubby tomorrow night and am wonder what to do. I really want to see New Moon and I am goign to see it next week with my girlfriends, but am anxious to see it sooner..DH hates going to movies and hasn't read teh books so i feel a little bad suggesting we do that but we will see.

Well i think that is enough, i have one more but will save it for a seperate post i think.

Update-All Good News!

Good news. My mom has gotten her car back. The investigation is closed. She nor the guy were issued tickets. The man's conidition has improved to "guarded"..not sure exactly what that means but to me it means better that critical.

Lets hope the man continues to improve. My mom needs to get her car fixed, a fair amount of damage to the hood and grill, but will probably wait until we leave for our up coming vacation in a couple weeks.

My wonderful husband is home! He greeted me with homemade from scratch chicken and dumplings that were AMAZING (bad for me but who cares!) He also has already arranged for a sitter on Saturday, Iz is headed to grandma and grandpa's for the night. I love this man!

Been a while

Oh how i have missed my blogging. It has been a crazy couple of weeks. Two weeks ago I was in Baltimore for work for 3 days, last week was an INSANELY busy week at work, I worked Mon-Thurs and took a much needed Friday off.

DH left for hunting Sat morning. Izzy and I had no plans for the weekend but it ended up being an AWESOME weather weekend and we spent tons of time outside with our neighbors. Lots of walking and playing out side.

Then came Sunday night....my mom was in a car accident, she hit a pedistrian who was standing in the middle of a center lane dressed in all black in the pitch dark, no where near a traffic light or crosswalk. Of course my dad would be out of town, and dh is also out of town so Iz and I rushed over to my mom's house after the police took her home and spent the night with her. She is doing suprisingly well considering, much better than I would be...and part of me thinks it hasn't hit her yet and she has blocked it out. We don't know a lot yet other than the guy she hit was in critical condition as of yesterday and the officer told my mom they thought he would recover...but we will see. She should hear more later this afternoon. They still have her car, they took it for more accident investigation photos etc and hopefully will be giving it back to her late today. What a mess! My brother is a cop in florida and was been very helpful. He is pretty confident that my mom will not be found at fault. I hope he is right. Who knows if the victum will sue my mom in a civil suit but i guess that is why she has insurance.

All i know is I will be a very happy women in few hours when my dh is back at home to give me a hug. If you are the praying type please same some prayers for the victim and for my mom.

If you know me in real life please do not say ANYTHING about this. My mom really wants to keep it in the family..understandably.

Thank you.

Wordless Wednesday-Little Friends

Izzy and her neighborhood friends snuggled together watching Little Bear

Big Girl Bed

Well we finally did it. Yesterday we converted Izzy's crib to a toddler bed. I don't want to jiinx myself but so far so good.

We decided to do it because earlier in the week when Izzy was having a huge post bath meltdown complete with kicking, and refusing to get her teeth brushed, I told her she was going to bed with no stories, and put her in her bed while she was screaming in protest. I tried laying her down and of course she just popped right back up, screaming all the while. So I said good night and turned around and walked out and shut the door.......no sooner had i shut the door was a little hand opening it on the other side...yep flew out of her crib in a rage ...so we quickly realized, i guess she can get out if she wants. She didn't climb out at all the rest of the week but we figured with our up coming cruise, where she will be sleeping in a pull out couch...that we should try the transition and see what happens.

She was very excited to help daddy put it together and was pretty proud when it was done. We then played outside after lunch and by the time it was nap time she really was very tired. So DH took her upstairs, and put her in bed and to both of our suprise she stayed there. And fell asleep for 2 hours. Woke up and didn't get out until i went up to her room to get her. Same thing last night and this morning. I am SHOCKED. The only issue was her covers (her blanket grandma made) must have fallen out of her bed last night because she told DH this morning that it had been on the floor (although this morning it was in bed with ehr so sometime last night she must have gotten up to get it.) So this morning we put a different blanket on her bed that i could tuck in so it won't fall off.

Is it too good to be true or will she continue to be so good. We will see. I just put her up for a nap and she went in laid down and that was that...............

I am so proud of her!!! I am also a bit sad, she is officially not in a crib and not a baby......and knowing that she will most likely be our only baby, I am sad. I was organzing the basement storage area looking at all the ridiculous amount of baby gear with a sad heart...we won't be using it again. The time just went by too fast. I wish i could slow it down!

A very Happy Halloween!

We had a wonderful halloween this year. It was SOOO cute to see Izzy so excited about the whole thing. First thing she said after her nap.."I go trick or treat now!" She loved it. Our friends came over with their 2 boys, we had some chili for the grown ups and some mac n cheese for the kids before trick or treating. Daddy took izzy and our friends and went trick or treating and i stayed back to hand out candy (next year i think nana and grandpa will come over2 hand out candy so i don't miss the fun of trick or treating) Izzy liked the trick or treating until some of the houses were too scary and then apparently she was all done and wanted to come home, but she still had fun.

Here are some pictures of our afternoon and night, the night pictures are first and then the afternoon before. My favorite is where Izzy is pouting because it wasn't time to go trick or treating yet.

Wordless Wednesday

A Very Blessed Mommy

Random Ramblings-Tuesday edition

It is tuesday and I am feeling the need to ramble to get rid of some of these things in my head. It just can't wait until friday

-I am hoping we made a major breakthrough in potty training today. Izzy has been having some serious poop anxiety...she has been holding it and holding it and then refusing to go on the potty and only in her underwear or diaper. Well she hadn't pooped since Thursday and was noticably uncomfortable most of the day yesterday so last night i have her some miralax in her juice with dinner. She did have a bad night and was up a good portion of it and in bed with us the majority of the night but she pooped 3 times today!! The first one was with my mom and was really hard...the second one also with my mom and firm but not hard...both were in diapers. Well this evening at my grandparents house she wanted to go potty(since i put her back in underwear when i picked her up from my moms) and she went...she pooped on the potty!!!!!! YAHOOOOOOOOOO and she was so proud of herself. I am really hoping this continues!!!!! I am kicking myself for not going with the miralax earlier!!!!

--I was so hung over on Sunday I swore I would not drink again for a while...now i am sure i will drink this weekend when we will be up north at my in laws cabin but i will be staying away from red wine for a little while. We had a great wine tasting party at our house Saturday night...but i felt AWFUL sunday morning..i am offically getting old!!

--I am again off teh wagon of working out and eating right...yep i sound like a broken record...i can tell in teh way i feel and the way some of my clothes fit that my body is changing..i better do something soon before it gets out of hand...this after I ate 2 pieces of pizza for dinner and my favorite cake that my grandma makes for dessert............URGH why can'ti just be blessed with a great metabolism naturally!

--Izzy's bed time routine has been getting a little longer and longer the last couple weeks. She has been insisting on rocking longer and then you go to put her in bed and she stands up and wimpers till you pick her up, rock her for 1 more min then she will go to bed just fine......weird!

--As we have been going through the potty training i keep thinking we should maybe get her transitioned into her toddler bed but honestly i don't want to for selfish reasons...i know there will be plenty of time for her to come in our room in the middle of the night and i am in no hurry...she still hasn't climbed out of her crib and she could easily seeing that it is only on the 2nd lowest setting...but she likes her crib and I am leaving her there for now.


--It is now oficially hunting season and I am already a little annoyed. I understand this is a hobby of DH's that he had long before me and I need to respect that but there is a part of me that is little annoyed. He wants to go up north thsi weekend for bow season since next weekend we have his folks dog and the following weekend is halloween...i get that. But first he says he wants to elave thursday night...i have to tak friday off...which my dad is not happy about b/c it leave only one person in the office...then tonight DH says..after i made a commetn to iz about getting her hair trimmed on Thursday...he come out with we are going up north Thursday...i say in the morning? She has her class...he says...well i wanted to get up there to hunt...................please tell me why Thursday night, Friday, Sat, and Sunday aren't enough..urgh like i am supposed to drop everything so he can go hunt...urgh...but the alternative is for me and izzy to stay home and i really don't want to be a single parent all weekend...I love hunting season. And his big almost week long gun season trip is still to come in November....I think i need to plan a girls weekend, then maybe i will feel like things are a bit more equal with all his hobby trips hunting and fishing.

--Okay enough venting. I do love my husband and respect his hobbies...i think part of it is i am tired from the long night last night.

here is hoping for a great nights sleep and a better attitude in the morning!!

Flashback Friday

Instead of my usual ramblings i am going to post our annual apple orchard pictures. This is this year and last year. WOW what a difference a year makes...i do think izzy is on her tip toes a little bit but you get the idea. We love going to the apple orchard..i am hoping to make it to one more but the weather has been too cold and wet!!!

Last Year

This Year

Traveling Porta Potty

Well we officially broke in our travel potty the last two days. Yesterday wasn't so bad, we just left the butcher and izzy says...i wanna go potty...do they have a potty in there...meaning the butcher, I said no and thankfully had put the travel potty and bags in my car. Popped open the back of my SUV and she went potty.

Well this morning, izzy woke up dry, and we knew she would have to go pee...we asked her a bunch of times if she had to go before the 30 min drive in traffic to nana's house...she said repeatidly..."I can't want to go potty!!!" so away we went...well sure enough i am in traffic on the highway and she says...i go potty nana's house, i go potty now! I could tell the drive was going to be too long so I pull over ot the shoulder and busted out the potty...and there sat my mostly naked girl(she had on fleece footy pj's that pretty much have to come all the way off to go potty) in the back of my car going potty..........the fun never ends!

Friday Thoughts

It is friday and my head is full...full of randomness in my head that even prevented me from getting a good nights sleep last night, i could not sleep, not sure what the problem is but i better get some of this out.......

--I was thinking this morning while i was driving Iz to my mom's that when did she become a little girl!!! There she is in teh back seat happy as can be (i swear the child wakes up so freaking happy every day!) just chatting away with me. When did this happen??? where did my 15 word, wobbling toddler go??? I just really can't believe how fast my sweet baby girl has grown up!!!

--i have a older sister (step sister, half sister, what ever you want to call her) she is 10 years older than me and a "whoa is me" kind of mentality and a sense of entitlement that never ceases to amaze me. Needless to say we are not close even though she lives about an hour from me. This morning she call my office to talk to our dad(i work for my/our dad) she says "I have to talk to dad....." then proceeds to tell me her sob story about how her lease on her minivan is up and she can't believe she is looking at a $400 car payment and is going on and on.....are you serious! You are 42 years old, and you are calling your dad to see if he will help you with your freaking car payment!!! She is something else. Our family cruise in december will certainly be interesting, i wonder how many different things she is goign to try to milk my parents for (even though they have already paid for the freaking cruise!)

--i have been slacking again in the workout deparrtment...i am beginning to sound like broken record! I worked out for 30 min yesterday for the first time in about 2 weeks. I wonder what it is going to take for me to finally get myself back in check....urgh

--we met with our financial planner this week for our yearly review or whatever and man did i walk out of there with a headache....i know we are in a much better position financially that a large portion of the population but i sure did leave there feelign inadequate....holey crap college is expensive!! we started a 529 for izzy less than a year ago i think and have been putting almost nothing in it..$50 a month...which is better than nothing i guess but when our planner showed us the figure that with inflation it will cost about$200,000 for college i about fell out of my chair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If we put an extra $100 a month away starting today, it will still only cover 32% of her college...........YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are also going to do some expense exercise over the next couple weeks with him where we look at what we are spending now, assume we want to live about the same and they plug the info into some software and it tell yous what you need to save for retirement....i can only imagine how depressing that figure is going to be...........if only money grew on trees!

--i can't believe it is already 11:30 am and i have gotten almost nothing done and work, i just am too tired to focus on much of anything......i hope i can sleep tonight!

--tomorrow we get a free day/night since the in laws volunteer to watch izzy (i love unsolicited babysitting..nothing better) so we are meeting up wiht our two couples and going to watch the MSU/UofM game at a local bar. Should be fun despite the outcome of the game..nice to hang with friends and know we have the rest of day and following morning off :)

hope everyone has a good weekend. GO TIGERS i hope they can finally clinch the division this weekend....

Friday's Random Thoughts

It has been a busy week so lots are going around in that crazy head of mine. In no random order........

-I am so tired today because i was bad and stayed up WAY too late last night drinking wine, watching Grey's and chatting with some of my closest friends, especially my neighbor. Love her, I love that we can talk about our husbands, marriage and sex like I can with no other friend that I have!

-I got the opportunity to stay in an AMAZING house on monday night. I was in Indy visiting another franchise like the one i work for and the owner is a close friend of my parents. I stayed with him and his wife in their 10,000 sq ft house.....yes i put in the right number of zeros!!! It was unreal!!! Seriously like an MTV cribs house. Half court basketball court INSIDE with the Virgina Tech logo on teh floor and wall...I mean COME ON! Two outdoor fire places and the most beautiful decor I have ever seen! I wish she could come decorate my house. I honestly cannot imagine living in a place like that! CRAZY

-We have definately had our ups and downs in teh potty department the last week. We took some steps backward over the weekend and had to put her on a non constipating diet because she was backed up from not wanting to poop on the potty which then caused her a lot of pain when she finally did go..this happened twice since last Thursday...so i have really been watching her fruits and juice intake and limiting and restricting her dairy...it has been helping but she still hasn't pooped on the potty since the first time....if she doesnt poop today i will be adding some myralax to her juice to help her because i really don't want to see her in so much pain, it was awful to see. I swear this potty stuff has been the most challenging thing I have done as a parent other than teh sleep deprivation and colic that came with the first few months. I am really hoping things get better, although so far the latter part of this week as been much better and she has gone back to peeing on the potty regularly instead of holding it all day long like she did last weekend.

-Fall is finally coming to MI and there is a part of me that is excited for jeans, sweaters and I love that fall smell in the air. I am looking forward to heading to the apple orchard as well in the near future. Fall is such a great time of year...until it brings winter....

-I was so proud of Iz last night. My uncle is in town from CA and we went to a resturant that i had not been to in years...we walked in and i was immediately stressed b/c it was what I would call a pretty upscale place, not a place for a toddler AT ALL. I was worried about how she would do and I am happy to report that I had nothing to worry about. She did great. She ate and sat during the meal and we were there well over an hour. I even had waiters coming up to me to tell me how well behaved she was. She even went potty 3 times while we were there (i think she was using it as excuse to get up from teh table but she did pee all 3 times even if it was just a little)

-DH has been out of town since wednesday and he doesn't come home until tomorrow night. I have no idea what Iz and I will do tomorrow, no plans...we will have to come up withsomething good...i have pawned her off a lot on my mom this week, not really on purpose just due to curcimstances so I am looking forward to picking her up today and spending the day with her tomorrow

Friday Thoughts

It is friday and I have only a few minutes to drop the few random thoughts in my head.

--i am so proud of Izzy as i have previously stated this week. I must admit that the smallest part of me is a tiny bit sad that my baby is no longer a baby anymore, especially since she will be our only one...

--Izzy had her first Terrific Two class at the gym this week and I didn't know what to expect and I was plesantly suprised and disappointed. I was suprised to see there was a typed lesson plan and involved shapes and colors..i thought it was just going to be a play class, so there is actual learning involved, it was a structured plan for the class that included a story during circle time, a game related to the shapes and colors along with the organized play time...my diappointment was that izzy was the only kid in the class!!! I guess there is one more child registered but she wasn't there...i hope she comes next week even though Iz did fine and had 1:1 time with the teacher. I was able to work out during the 45 min class and the teacher even said i can leave the club during this time, which i won't do but was suprised to hear i could.

--i was reminded this mornign of the issues my mom has with hoarding...when i dropped off izzy this morning she wanted more milk and since my mom was still in her bed (which is their routine in the morning, they spend time cuddling in nana's bed) i said i woudl go get it..well i opened the fridge and was appalled at how stuffed full of food it was , so much so i quickly closed it and told my mom she would have to get the milk because i was afraid to touch anything b/c i was afraid something (like the eggs stored on their side end wise) would fall out. My mom has a serious hoarding problem with food and a shopping addiction.....My brother and I have talked about tryign to do an intervention of sorts but have yet to do this. I know my mom's issue is not as bad a extreme cases you see on Oprah or on the A&E show Hoarders...but it still exists and I struggle every day with how to handle it since my dad has given up....part of me thinks it is his problem to deal with but i know he doesn't know how which is why i feel like i need to try...but it isn't easy.She gets very defensive and emotional the second you make any sort of comment. It is terrible that i think about what will happen the day she is no longer on this earth and how the heck we are going to deal with getting that house cleaned out........i feel bad for thinking about it but I certainly do.

--our first book club meeting was wednesdya night and it was interesting...a very eclectic group of women from my subdivision...and it was kinda cool that we all got together b/c normally we probably wouldn't..there were 30 somethings like me and some of my neighboor friends and there were 40 something's, 50 something's and a 60 year old that were also there...kinda a neat get together. I am looking forward to ready to reading the next book which will be Jodi Picoults plain truth...i have been wanting to read a book by her

Major Potty Milestone

YIPEEEEEE I am so proud to report that my girl pooped on teh potty for the first time ever tonight!!!!!!!!!!!! The poor girl hadn't pooped since monday and had clearly been holding it since yesterday and after ALOT of trips to the bathroom this evening we finally had success! The poor girl had the biggest poop I have ever seen come out of such a small tush!!! She was crying a little while she was going but did not want help. When she finally stood up I couldn't believe the size of it!! Poor girl. We gave her lots of praise and she was so proud of herself. Tonight she can't stop saying I went poopie...it was huge!

She is such a strong, independant little girl, right before dinner we had put her into a pull up because we needed to eat dinner and she needed a little break from the back and forth to the bathroom...sure enough when we finished dinner she told me she wanted to go poop (even though she had on a pull up and could have just went in that) I then let her go in teh bathroom herself and she shut the door and was in there forever but didn't want help....I am SOOOOO proud of her!!!!

What a great job she has done this week, she has been in underwear most of everyday since Sunday and other than one very small pee pee accident on Wednesday with teh babysitter she has had NO accidents!!! And the best part for me is that for the most part we have just gone about our normal routine, no being trapped in the house. She goes on public toliets like it is no big deal!

My baby is growing up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Potty Training Day 3 Update

Today is the 4th day Izzy has been in underwear most of the day and all and all it is going well. We have had a couple challenges and today will be another test.

Yesterday she was with my mom all day...i took her over in her underwear in the morning and was successfull in getting her to pee on the potty before i left my moms (after a few minutes of stalling) My mom then had her the rest of the day and part of their Tuesday routine is to go to my mom's gym..my mom works with her trainer and Izzy goes to the child care...well my mom got to the gym early to give her time to get Izzy to go potty...this is where Izzy started crying and clinging to my mom, she didn't want my mom to leave her in the childcare...well Izzy won, she didnt go potty and my mom didn't leave her in the childcare and had an abreviated session with her trainer up on teh mats while Izzy watched. My mom then took her home fed her lunch , put her in a diaper and put her down for a nap......I got to my mom's house about 4:15 and izzy was awake from her nap and still in a diaper (URGH i asked my mom to put her in underwear as soon as she woke up) So I took off her diaper which was dry (so at this point she hasn't peed since 8:30 this morning when i dropped her off!!!!) After a lot of stalling by Izzy i was able to get her to pee on the potty before we went home.

So apparently my child has incredible holding power...which worries me a little but I am hoping it is all part of the learning process and getting comfortable. She went 2 more times last night and one of them was at the neighbors house during our pizza party so I was happy that she went succesfully while playing with her friends.

Today she is with the babysitter at our house...so we will see how that goes. She has used the potty in the past for the sitter, and I am hoping she will again today (even though she has gone before for my mom, but didnt' yesterday) She also hasn't pooped since Monday night (which was a HUGE one and in a diaper) so i am pretty sure she will have to poop today. I told the sitter if she is really uncomfortable with Izzy in underwear then to put her in a diaper as a last resort if she has to poop. I do feel a little bad leaving this job to the babysitter but at the same time i don't want to take a step backwards and put her back in a diaper.....

I can tell Izzy is very proud of herself when she goes, and she enjoys the praise we give her. She also clearly prefers beign in underwear so I am hoping everything continues to go well. She still has yet to have an accident due to her crazy holding power...i am just hoping that she doesn't give herself a bladder infection in teh process....

I have 3 diapers left in the house and am debating about buying diapers of moving to pull ups for naps and night....i think pull ups are overpriced and probably not needed but I also think it might be a good sign for izzy to have all the diapers gone and the move to the pull ups for nap and night as a sign to her that she is done with "diapers" even though I know that pull ups are essentially a diaper....

Here hoping for a good day with the babysitter...

Off the healthy eating wagon...but it was worth it

So i have been doing decent at my healthier eating the last week, with the exception of drinking a few more beers that normal sat night (hey it was our annual block party, i'm alound) and last night...but let me tell you it was SOOOOOOOOOO worth it.

DQ has a new blizzard of the month...it is called Cookie Jar...OMG amazing...it is so simple but SOOOOO good. It is cookie dough and oreo cookies!!! Delicious!!! This is the first blizzard i have allowed myself to eat all summer..since looking at the nutrional info(all summer i just ordered a kids size twist) ...and let me tell you..it is a good thing our DQ is closing at the end of the month for the season.

It was awesome, and I don't feel quite as bad by eating it because we rode our bikes there and back..6 miles total and I split mine with Izzy, I didn't eat it all..............and I packed my gym bag last night so i have no excuse for not going to gym today!!!

If you want a guilty pleasure, be sure to check it out..YUM!

Potty Training....again **with an update

well we started potty training again, based on following Izzy's lead this weekend...it started Saturday morning we were at our favorite coffee shop in town and she said she had to go potty (she had a diaper on) at first i thought she just wanted to go in their bathroom and watch me because we always go to their bathroom before we leave, so at first i didn't do anything, but she kept telling me, so i took her in, took off her diaper adn sure enough she went pee!!! Saturday night, she wanted to go on teh potty before her bath, and she did it..not just drippings as she calls it but actually emptied her bladder. Well then Sunday morning she had a diaper on, and pooped and when we changed her she asked for underwear. So I put her in underwear and we went out to breakfast. She said she had to go potty while at the resturant and i took her to the bathroom and sure enough she went! So we left her in underwear all day other than nap and bed and she had ZERO accidents!

This morning she is in underwear again, and although she hasn't peed yet on the potty, she hasn't had any accidents. She won't go anytime i ask her to go but she hasn't gone in her underwear. I am just hoping that she will hold it till she wants to go (or can't hold it anymore and has to go). I know now that she can hold it as long as she wants..i just hope she will go this morning before we leave the house. We have 2 errands to run and then are heading to meet my mom for lunch..so we will see. I have spare clothes packed.

I think this is my sign to force underwear even if she resisits a little, she is clearly ready...so we will see. Stay tuned.....

** we just got home from our errands adn lunch and I am happy to report Iz did GREAT. I was able to get her to pee before we left the house (with the help of a swedish fish) and she tried to go at hte library until the automatic toliet freaked her out...but she did go at the resturant!!!! YIPEEEEEEE. I put her in a diaper for her nap but she will be going right back into underwear when she wakes up. She probably will have to poop this afternoon so that will be our first real test of pooping on the potty..she has yet to ever do it or even try.....we will see what happens!

Friday Random Thoughts

It is friday, not sure how much randomness is in my head but we'll see

--Despite my good intentions, i did not pack my gym bag this morning, which means I will have only made it to the gym once this week...urgh!!! What is my problem!!! Next week is a new week and I will make it there 3 days....but I did eat MUCH better this week and feel less bloated etc than I did earlier in the week...so i guess that is good

--I am thinking it is time to push it with iz and her potty training..her size 5 diapers are getting too small and for some reason i refuse to buy the size 6's.....i know she can handle it, i just need to suck it up and do it. DH is going out of town for 5 days the week after next and I am thinking I will start teh aggressive potty training then..less stressful on me not to have him "helping me"..plus i read that in teh beginning it is better if one parent takes the lead...so starting Thursday either Sept 24, Izzy will be going diaper free other than naps....please keep me accountable on this!!! Don' t let me chicken out :)

--i have my first book club meeting next week, they are starting a book club in my subdivision...the first book was already assigned and I am finally getting into it...the first half was a little slow and predictable but the second half is much better, i hope to have it done this weekend...first meeting is Wednesday night.The book is called Patty Janes House of Curl...strange name for a book but it is a nice story about 2 sisters and the trials and triumphs they go through and it takes place in teh 50's. Kinda cool because i don't think i would have selected the book on my own so we will see if I like the book club meetings.

--Although there was a part of me a few weeks ago kinda bummed izzy wasn't old enough to start preschool this year..the more and more i think about it, the happier I am that I have another year with her in a unstructured manner....since she will most likely be our only child..i really need to charish every moment....she is growing up so fast that I can wait till next fall to have her go off to "school"

--I am afraid Izzy is going to have so many scars from picking her mosquito bites, this kid just picks and picks and picks her scabs so they get bigger and worse versus getting bigger. The only solution i have found so far is to put a bandaid on them but then if they stay covered up they don't heal quick either. I really don't know what to do. She also still has a spot on her back from a bite she got back in July, it was one of the few bites she couldn't pick at because of where it was located, but it has left a brown mark on her back. I am thinking about taking her into the doctor to have it looked at because I find it strange it would still be there 2 months later!!!! I don't know if part of it is from her darker skin and it is normal or if it is not normal...it is weird.

okay enough procrastinating on non-work stuff. not sure why i am not so motivated this week, must be a leftover of the great weekend.....hopefully i will have more drive at work next week....

Hungry!!!

I have officially started my healthier eating, and getting back to the gym routine. Started yesterday and all i have to say is i am HUNGRY!!!

My last 6 months of poor eating and not enough working out is finally catching up with me and I am putting my foot down!!! No more!!! I will not see that scale go up another pound. So I am now going to eat better and get to the gym 3 days a week most weeks!!!

Yesterday was day one of tracking what I eat and up until dinner I did fine. I had forgotten i had agreed to go to my grandparents for pizza night....so dinner not so good but the rest wasn' t too bad

Breakfast--Coffee with creamer
Greek Yogurt (honey flavored) with strawberries and 1/4 cup granola

Lunch--1 can v8
Bowl of chicken noodle soup
1 banana

Dinner- 2 1/2 pieces of pizza with pinapple
couple of pieces of watermelon

Nothing to eat OR DRINK after dinner. I have gotten in a VERY bad habit this summer of drinking a glass of wine (or sometimes 2) in teh evening while watching tv. I will be breaking this daily habit and get my alchohol cosumption back down to only Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays....too many empty calories being consumed!!!

I was SOOOO hungry last night it wasn't even funny!!! But i refrained.

Today so far so good although I am quite Hungry and will be eating lunch soon.

My gym bag is packed and ipod is charging so i am ready for a good workout after work! I need to pick my workout days and workout plan so I know what I am doing each week. I think that really made a difference when I was in that class was having the set schedule and knowing that Mon and Fri were weights adn Wed was cardio...I need to come up with a similiar plan! and i will do so by then end of this week and will be posting it.

I hate this part of the process...the first 2 weeks of goign back to healthy eating is alwasy the worst, i am almost always hungry thinking about all the things i want to eat but won't let myself.

I need to put snacks back in my eating habits too...healthy options like veggies, string cheese and fruit.

Why is it that I knwo all the things i need to do but once out of the habit it is so hard to get back into it.

Well blogging about it and tracking my food and workouts is where I need to start...so expect to see more from me in this area (feel free to skip reading them as they are probably not an exciting read but an important tracking item for me personally)

On that note I think it is lunch time.

For lunch today i have greek yogurt with strawberries and granola and some of my grandma's AWESOME home made gazpacho soup. Yum!!! And dinner tonight...will be home made Chicken stir fry with brown rice....

Weekend review

We had a fabulous weekend! The weather was GREAT and we made the most of it. Izzy had a great "Daddy day" on friday, i came home a little early so i was home by the time Iz woke up from her nap. We then went on a nice bike ride to the park and for Ice Cream.

Saturday we went to teh football game and Izzy did the best she could. I was hoping she would make it until half time to see the band but no such luck..too hot and crowded...we will try again in a couple years. She did like meeting all my old friends and most importantly loved wearing her "go green shirt" so she looked cute.

Sunday we went for a long walk to town for breakfast adn then to the park. After nap we went to our friends house and hung out on teh pontoon and swam with friends. Iz is our little boater girl. She lOVES it. I really need to get this kid in a swim lesson, she loves the water and the soon we don't have to hold her the whole time the better. She can't quite swim on her own even with a life jacket. This winter once she is officially 3 i will put her in a class, seems like most classes don't teach swimming much earlier, it is just all about getting used to the water which she already is.

Monday was a relaxing day at home and had nana and grandpa over for dinner. It was a FABULOUS weekend.

Now back to reality and work but that is okay. College football has officially started and NFL starts thursday. Although I am not quite ready for summer to be over at least I like the fall....now if i could just hold off winter............

Friday's Random Thoughts

It is friday and here are the random thoughts running around in my head

-I have the best husband ever! Today he decided to take the day off to have a "daddy day" with Izzy while i am at work. How sweet is that!! And of course Izzy is very excited that she gets to stay home with daddy instead of going to Nana's house. I am sure a long bike ride is in their future this morning now that daddy got a new tube for his tire.

-Tomorrow we are goign to Izzy's first Michigan State football game. I am super excited because before the game we are getting to gether with a bunch of people I went to high school/college with that I have not seen in ALOT of years and thanks to facebook we have reconnected. I can't wait to see them and meet their kids!

-I have not been so successful with my workouts this week...i made it to the gym zero times!!! Partly because I had the worst cramps ever two days this week and partly because I just didn't feel like it. I did go to the zoo yesterday and do tons of walking, does that count? Probably not. I dont' know why i am having such a hard time getting back at it!!!!

-I have found a new favorite breakfast. I had kept hearing the benefits of greek yogurt, and how good it is...so i decided to try it. The first one i tried was some brand i can't remember and it was vanilla flavored....it was HORRIBLE, i could hardly choke it down even mixed with bannana...it was so sour tasting, yuck, i don't care how much protein is in it i could not eat it...well a bunk of people told me to try Okios honey flavor, so i tried it and it actually is pretty good especially mixed wiht fresh blueberries and a little dry cereal for crunch. It is filling, and I get my morning protein and fiber from the the fruit/cereal. I will be buying it again. It is certainly different that "normal" yogurt, different texture and a little more sour taste. It is certainly growing on me.

-I can't believe that summer is essentially over! School starts next week and I really can't believe it!!! While I love fall weather in Michigan, I am not ready for it yet, we hardly had a summer...snow will just be around the corner

-Speaking of snow, apparently Izzy is ready for snow, the other day she found the winter boots and gloves a friend has given us that their daughter outgrew, put them on walking through the house and outside to "play in the snow"...winter should be interesting

-Our neighborhood is starting a book club. I have never been part of a book club before and do love to read so I think I am goign to check it out. They already assigned the first book -Patty Janes, house of curl....i picked it up at the library yesterday. So far i dont' know if i can make the first meeting because Dh will be out of town but I will see if my parents want to come for dinner or somethign and then can put her to bed while i go to the meeting....so we will see how it goes. I am at least going to try it for the first book. I hope there is wine...is that terrible?

-DH is going to be gone a lot this month, he has a business trip to chicago next week for 3 days I think and then will be up north all weekend and then is leaving the following Wednesday until Sat night to do training in Philly. I am not looking forward to being a single parent.....not to mention I know Izzy is going to miss her daddy, that is the first thign she says in teh morning when i go get her if he has to work early, is "where's daddy" Should be interesting. Hopefully it goes by quick.

Well i suppose I should do some work now seeing that i have been here almost an hour and done nothing work related.

Have a great holiday weekend!! I know I will!!!

Almost wordless Wednesday

How beautiful are these flowers!!!!! Gorgeous Red Roses for our 6th wedding anniversary which was Monday!! How awesome is DH. By far the prettiest flowers he has ever given me!

Time to get serious

Well it is time for me to get serious about getting back on my healthy eating, working out wagon!!! While i made it to the gym once this week and will be going this afternoon, it is not enough.

I am feeling really bloated lately and teh scale is sneaking up. I am up about 3 pounds and I am totally afraid that if i don't try to kick it now, before I know it I am goign to be back at 150 and that will NOT happen. I got rid of all my bigger clothes and cannot afford to go shopping nor do i want to ever by a size 10 again!!!!

I hate that the weight comes back on so easy!!!!!!! I hate writing down what I eat, but i think I am going to have to for the next couple weeks to get myself back on track!!!!

This weekend will be tough though because we will be up north with the in laws and i must say my mother in law is a GREAT cook and doesn't always cook light..and a whole weekend of her cooking and no workouts could be trouble...plus DH and I are going out to a super nice dinner at one of our favorite high end restaurants Saturday night to celebrate our 6 year wedding anniversary which is monday. Oh well at least if I get in a good workout today and eat less of the food that is put in front of me...that is about all i can do.

Urgh, i guess i should be thankful that i have managed to get most of the way through summer with very poor eating/exercising habits without putting on weight before now.

Time to get back on track!!!!

Izzy-ism's

Well seeing that today Izzy is officially closer to being 3 years old than 2 years old (OMG I can't believe it) i thought i would capture some of her adorable izzy-ism's. It kills me some of the cute things that are coming out of her mouth these days. These are in no real order just top of mind.

• Izzy loves listening to "my songs" in the car, all her toddler music that is loaded in the ipod or cd player, when we get in the car she quickly says "I want my songs" I start up the playlist and depending on her mood I hear one of two things " Again!" after one she likes or "I no like this one!" if she doesn't like a song and wants me to skip it...this is how most of our car rides in mommy's car go!
• If she doesn't like something she says "I can't like it!"
• She quite enjoys milkshakes (ie yogurt smoothies or the horizon milks in a box) but she calls them "shake milks"
• Last night at dinner while we were eating you could hear the freezer defrosting and Izzy said "Who is peeing!!!!"
• Last night when in the bath tub DH was trying to clean behind izzy's ears and she said "Don't do that daddy, don't take my ear off!!!" I almost peed my pants it was so funny
• She is always into "my shows" as she calls the various cartoons she watches , one of her and mommy's new favorites is little bear and each episode contains 3 short shows, after each one she will say "Another one coming on!"
• When anyone coughs she will always tell you to "cover your mouth!" well yesterday daddy tooted and she said "cover your tush daddy!!"
• If she burps she will say "excuse me, good manners"
• If you ask Izzy what she wants for dinner about 80% of the time she says "pizza man", i swear we only order pizza once a week max, sometimes not that much
• If she is not liking what you are saying to her she will say "don't talk at me!"

Those are just the top of mind things i can think of that come out of Izzy's mouth on a daily basis. I really can't believe she is 2 years , 7 months!!! So grown up!!!! I wish I could slow it down but i know i can't so I am enjoying every minute of it (minus the toddler moment meltdowns and No's that are more frequent these days too!)

Wordless Wednesday

Catching up with me

I think my bad eating/no excercising habits are finally catching up with me a bit. I got on the scale this morning and did not like what I saw!! Not to mention i feel bloated and blah!!!! So back to the gym I go. I am headed there this afternoon with my brother. He is in town from Florida and has always been in very good shape. We will probably do our own thing but either way I am going and it won't be the only time this week. I have been lucky so far that the weight hasn't come back on but as of this morning I was up a solid 2 pounds and need to get back in check before that number turns into 5 or 10. I hate how easy it is for that to happen!!!

In unrelated topic, my least favorite subject..potty training. Yesterday afternoon Iz decided she wanted to wear underwear. So i put her in them and she kept them dry but wouldn't really pee either when I know she had to go!! Finally we were going out to dinner I told her she needed to go potty or put a diaper on and she said diaper on. She was still dry before her bath!!! This morning she woke up and had a wet diaper and insisted on wearing underwear..i put her in the underwear and she was dry when i dropped her off to my mom's house...just talked to my mom and she was dry until they had to leave to go to her gym when my mom put her back in a diaper because she was going to the childcare and she again wouldn't go on the potty!! I am encouraged izzy is wanting to wear underwear but worried that she is not peeing....should I be concerned or is it part of the process? URGH so frustrating!!! I just don't want to scar the poor kid!!

Friday Thoughts

It is friday and i feel like dumping some thoughts

-Izzy has been a bit of a handful this week, i think part of it was her paying us back for shipping her off for the weekend and the other part is just her being 2.5 and showing us what 2.5 yr old behavior can be. The early part of the week was FILLED with NO, NO, NO!!! and tantrums over STUPID stuff....like not wanting to even try 1 bite of meatballs (which i know she likes) and resulted in a huge crying fit that I actually had to leave the room for because I thought I was going to blow! and finally ended in her taking a bite and then saying a few minutes later when she was down from teh table "I like it!!!!" URGH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thankfully the second half of the week was MUCH better but she is definately showing some serious independence and Sass!!! Please give me the strength to handle the behavior for the next 2 years, I hear 3 is even worse than 2!!!!

-I am going to DH's 20 yr hs reunion this weekend so that ought to be interesting, seeing that he is 6 yrs older than me and grew up in a different city i won't know too many people. I do know 2 of his friends and their wifes so that is good. I got teh cutest new dress from White House Black Market (never really shopped there before, holey dangerous!!! So much cute stuff but expensive) I hope i am not over dressed, i really dont' now how people will come. we will see

-no new news on potty training, it is hard for me because i know of so many different people with girls iz's age and they have all had such recent success...but I keep telling myself, every kid is different and I really feel like i need a month or so to give it a rest and then start over and be more consistent. I am planning on about end of september really pushing it, starting on a Thursday when I am home frome work, putting her in underwear (with no option) and being consistant all day, will ask my mom to do teh same on friday and then can continue to follow through Sat, Sun, and Monday since I don't work. For now, she goes when she wants too go (which is normally once a day or so) and other than that i am not pushing it...i really didn't like to see her hold it like that , i think it was really stressing her out

-i am loving that it is finally summer weather, too bad it is mid august!!! I haven't been to the Lifetime pool all summer!!!! Maybe we will go this weekend. I get overwhelmed to take iz to pool by myself, i know can do it but I also know she will wear me out in about an hour of chasing her non stop.

-i am trying to be better about eating better but it is so hard some days...i wish i could eat what i want and stay this size!!! I get on teh scale almost everyday just to make sure i am styaing in my"range" that i allow myself. When i see the morning number get to a certain point, i try to keep myself in check with the food (mostly the sweets and the alchohol that gets me) So far that seems to be working but we will see how long that continues. At some point i am giong to have to get back to working out regularly before it catches up with me...and before DH cancels my $66 a month gym membership that i haven't used in over a month!!!

Long time no talk!

We got a new e-mail from our bm!!!! It has been about a year since we have heard from her!! I sent her a card and a bunch of the pictures from our family photo shoot about 2 weeks ago. In teh card i put our e-mail address in case she lost it and so guess what...she got the card and sent a message!!!! It is nice to hear from her. Sounds like she is doing okay and even has a job. She gave me her new cell number and said to txt her or call her.

She loved the pictures and was so happy to see Iz doing so well and all of us so happy. I even put in there a few pictures of the 3 of us adn one of them was Iz hugging us, see below...and she said that was her favorite.

So now i will have to txt her or somethign which I am sure will be alittle ackward to actually talk to her b/c it has been so long but I am so happy to hear from her!!!! I am glad she likes hearing how well and happy we all are.

To cut or not to cut

I called to make a hair appt and was suprised when she said she could get me in TODAY. So i have very little time to decide what to do. I am SOOOO sick of my hair, the ends are NASTY and i hate the color...so do i just trim it and refresh the color...or do i cut it a bit shorter???? I am not goign to chop it too much because I like to be able to get most of it back but I am in the mood for a change.....

We will see what happens tonight!

(talk about a useless blog post....can you tell i am severely procrastinating at work?)

Taking a break

I am taking a break from the potty training! Maybe i am accepting defeat for right now, or just trying to keep both mine and Izzy's sanity in tact!!!! I am beyond frustrated and it clearly shows through to izzy and is shows in how she is reacting to going potty.

Yesterday was a very frustrating morning of a lot of "i go pee, pee, or I go potty mommy" so we would run to the potty and she would do nothing or a few drips. She woke up dry in the morning so i knew she had to go, she kept doing the pee pee dance and couldnt settle yet every time she would say she had to go then wouldn't go at all to the bathroom or would and wouldn't do anything. I even told her just go in your diaper because i am afraid now she is trying to hold it and I don't want her to end up with a bladder infection or anything. I was so frustrated after two nights ago and this morning that i wanted to scream! Her new trick is now during when she is eating she says "i go potty " adn acts like she has to go so she doesn't have to eat. while i don't want to ignore her request, it is very frustrating when you get her up from teh table and then she does nothing, then you have to put her back at the table etc. URGH!!!! I hope I didn't create this monster by pushing her too early.

So because of all of this I am going to take a little break. Now if she wants to go potty adn tells me, i obviously still have to take her, but I am going to back off on asking etc and try again when I can focus for 4-5 days and force the underwear issue.

Between her antics and my terrible cramps yesterday I couldn't take much more! Thankfully the cramps are much better today and she is at my moms so we both get a little break today.

On another note, my dr appt went okay yesterday. She wasn't too concerned but said we would keep an eye on it and follow up in a month or so if needed. It was a huge relief but I will be happy when I get the official all clear either next week when I go back for my pap or in a month if i have to go back to follow up.

The highlight of my day yesterday is when I got on teh scale at teh dr office. You see I haven't seen this dr in about 2 years becasue last year i had my pap done just by my normal family practice dr. The nurse who took me back to the room originally said she didnt' need a weight for me but then when she looked at the chart she said "wow, you certainly don't weigh what it says here, lets get your weight" the last time I was there I weighed 152 and yesterday I was 132!!!!!!....so what did i do..after my appt i stopped at Taco Bell for lunch!

A little progress

Well I think the day of potty training was not a total loss. Aparently Daddy had a talk with izzy on their walk about telling mommy when you have to go potty. She was still in a diaper this afternoon but while we were at the birthday party today Izzy told me she had to go potty two different times!!

I took her in the potty (and unfortunatley her little friend Kate, who is 3 and potty trained excpet at night, had to come too, she insisted and since it was her house i couldn't say no) So we had 2 "potty party's today" me, izzy and Kate and both girls attempted and to go potty and izzy actually went one of the times(Kate went both times)!!! I was so happy and proud of her!!! Then tonight while we were ready books for bed she said she had to go potty so i put her on the potty and i am not sure she went but either way she tried and did not fight me to put her diaper back on and go back to her stories.

I am more encouraged than earlier and we will see what tomorrow brings!!! Maybe tomorrow the secret weapon pez dispenser will come out as extra incentive. So far the only "reward" she gets is a stamp, an dthat is only when she asks for it or I remember.

We have no big plans tomorrow so we will focus again and see what happens.

Potty Training, Day 1-abandoned mission

Well Day 1 of my bright idea to try underwear on iz was a TOTAL disaster!!!!

I had talked to dh about maybe trying underwear this weekend since we had no major plans other than a bday party next store at 3pm. So when iz woke up we took off her diaper (which was hardly wet) and asked if she wanted to get on teh potty...got a big fat NOOOOOOO

So then told her today she was going to wear underwear...i went up stairs got all her new undies out and told her to pick..at first she was excited but then she just stalled. Eventually DH helped her pick and put them on...which brought on a few tears but short lived. We then kept telling her to tell us if she had to go pee pee etc etc. Well we knew she had to go, but she would not go sit on potty...she went into kitched and peed on teh floor (at least it is not carpet).

I quick picked her up put her on teh potty and told her it is okay, this is what happens when we pee in underwear, you get wet. That is why we want to pee on the potty etc etc, encourage her to pee on potty ...she just plays and stalls and doesn't pee.

I then clean her up and dh helps her pick a new pair. Well less than 10 min later she pees again on the carpet! Same thing back to the potty.

Well i was getting ready to leave to go for a walk with a friend asked Dh if he wanted me to keep going with underwear or put on a diaper . He gets an attitude with me, I get upset put back on a diaper and leave the house crying.......................so much for that!!!!! Iwent for my walk and he took iz to the park in a diaper.

I need help!!! Is she just not ready yet or is this part of the process. She really will not get on teh potty seat when you want her to ....it has to be her idea. She has been peeing on the potty for at least a month. She only goes when she wants to go but if she wants to she will go. We give her lots of praise and she would get a stamp. She will always say I DID IT!!!! But all of this only happens when she wants to go not if you ask her if she has to go. She either will tell me she wants to go or sometimes if i am going i ask if she wants to go to and then she will go. Put rarely after nap or in the morning or any other time i ask if she has to go, or say lets go potty...the standard response then is NOOOOOOOOOO

I hate this potty training! I feel like I have no idea what the heck I am doing, I feel like b/c of my work schedule it is going to be impossible for me to be consistant unless i take a week off work (which i will do if i need to ) I also don't want to push her if she isn't ready. I really don't want to push her and maybe she just isn't ready yet and we should go back to letting her go when she wants to but not push it and try again in another month. I don't know!!! HELP HELP HELP!!!!!

Friday Thoughts

It has been a while since I have done my friday thoughts. No pre-thought here so we will see what comes out!

I really need a haircut! The last time I got my hair done was omg i just checked my calendar could be since April 1st!!! Yikes!!! Last time i got it done i just had it trimmed b/c i wanted to grow it out. I also had highlights added for the first time in a long time. Well now my hair is shaggy and light (it gets lighter in the summer) So now i am debating if i am going to die it back darker and how much to cut. I wanted to grow it out but i am loosing my patience about it. But i know if i cut it i will wish it was longer. Either way in needs at least an inch off b/c the ends are nasty! I need to just make the appt already and just do what i feel like doing that day!

I am totally excited for next weekend. Iz is goign up north with DH's parents for the WHOLE weekend without us!!!!!!!!!!!! I think this is a first ever that she has been gone a whole weekend while we remained at home. It is the weekend of the big art fair/festival in our town and i am totally excited. Friday i took the day off and so did DH so we can head to teh beer tent in the afternoon to see our neighbors band play. A whole lot of friends will be there too. I am so looking forward to it. I nkow Iz will have fun with Grandma and grandpa too since she loves the cabin. 1 more week!!!

We really need to try to get more focused on potty training, i just find it so hard since I work tues/wed/friday to be consistant. And I could do it on the weekend (like i am thinking about trying this weekend) but then we have to stay home all weekend and that is no fun! Urgh, i wish they would just potty train themselves. I am so jealous of my friends/blogger pals that have been so successful in the last couple weeks getting their girls potty trained. I am so overwhelmed

The other thing we need to get rid of in our house is the binky. Izzy still uses a binky when she sleeps and I know she shouldn't, but i haven't wanted to deal with the wrath of izzy for a few days after we take it away. I know i just need to do it and be done with it but so far I have whimped out

I love Trader Joe's! There isn't one super close to me but there is one on my way to pick up iz from my moms. It is a cool store and i love trying their cheap wine but my favorites of late are their marinated Mahi Mahi and Ahi Tuna steaks. They come frozen already marinated. All i do is thaw them and DH grills them , the are SOOOO yummy and not bad for you. I love quick easy meals. I tired an asparagus risoto that i bought from there also and it was really yummy too and you just put itin a pan with a couple tablespoons of water and cook for 6 mins. Yummo!

I need to do more playdates with Iz. Yesterday we had one and then a bonus playtime with the neighbor who came over while we cooked dinner and I just love watchign her play with other kids.Now a lot of hte time she is doing her own thing but other times she engages. Her playdate Brooke said yesterday as i was wheeling kids back to Brookes from the beach "i love my friend Izzy" so sweet!!! If Iz isn't going to have a sibling I need to make playdates a priority!

Well enough rambling, i suppose i should get back to work

Off the wagon with no motivation

I have so Totally fallen of my heathly eating, working out routine! I have not been to the gym in over a month, and have not worked out at all even outside other than walks with Iz into town. I have been eating and drinking WAY too much junk and the worst part is , i can't seem to stop myself.

It is amazing that I have not been packing back on the pounds, i am up 1 or 2 but I think that is about it. But I feel HUGE!!!

I really really really need to get back at it. I feel so much better when I am more active! I have been a little down lately, and I honestly think it is because I am not working out. So what is stopping me? Good question...excuses, excuses excuses!!!!

There is a 5k coming up next Sunday the 9th and I have had two friends ask me to do it with them. They have never done one before, but both are working out regularly. The one runs regularily. I feel obligated to do it with them but know that I will be the last to cross the finish line. URGH I guess I need to just shut up and start moving again!!!

It never ceases to amaze me how fast you lose your working out stamina and how long it takes to get it back.....so unfair.

Well I am going to recommitt to get moving the next week and half to attempt to be ready for this 5k. If it is nice outside when I get home, Izzy and I will be going for a walk/jog....pray i don't die!!!

On a total side note, i am a total nervous wreck about an upcoming dr appt on monday, i am not ready to share yet why i am so nervous but please hope/pray that i am over reacting and there is nothing going on. After a bit of googling I am hopeful that it isn't anything to be too concerned with but i will be happy when the appointment is over on monday!

***Update, i am proud to say I actually went home and went for a walk/jog (mostly walking) with izzy...hey it is a start.

2.5 Years Old, I can't believe it

Well my sweet girl, you are officially 2.5 years old!!! I can't even believe it. I missed doing your update by a few days but still wanted to capture what you are doing at 2.5 years old!

You are getting more and more independant every day and we are hearing more and more "I do it myself" Like getting in your high chair or car seat to name a few.

You are very demanding in mommy's car about what you would like to listen too. We have a few cd's and then mommy's ipod that have all sorts of toddler tunes. From just about when we get in the car you are telling me what you want to listen to. You often want to listen to the same songs over and over. When we get to one you don't like that day you are very quick to say "no like this one, or skip!"

You love to jump! You have mastered jumping with two feet and do it all the time. Sometimes just for fun or like yesterday when you said you were being a bunny.

You are still peeing on the potty when you want to which is great, but mommy really hopes to see an improvement in your potty using in the next couple weeks.

Your speech patterns have changed a lot in the last few weeks. You are using more and more complete sentences and saying multiple sentences together.

You love your blankies and they will always fix whatever ails you. As you say "blankies make it all better" You must have your blankies to sleep with and with you a good part of the time. You are not a fan when they need to be washed. But when I do wash them, you tell me for days that Blankies are all fresh and clean.

You are so affectionate lately. If i had been gone the night before or whatever the next day you will give me big hugs and say "you came back!" You are also telling me you love me more and more which melts mommy and daddy's hearts. You will say it unprompted or if I say I love you, you say "I love you too mommy" SOOOO sweet

I love seeing you grow and change everyday and love your happy spirit. You are almost always in a great mood! I love you big girl!!!

Random Ramblings Tuesday Edition

well I have missed my last few friday random ramblings and I am in a blogging mood so why not tuesday?

I succesfully did my second 5K on Saturday. Considering I really hadn't been training or doing much running at all since my foot injury (i fell off the workout wagon and was having trouble getting back on) I think I did ok. The course was quite hilly, so that was a bit tough but I still beat my previous time by 2 minutes! I was happy with that. Totally different experience than the first race, many more runners and there were tons of supports and even bands along the route! I am thinking about doing one more in Early August with a friend who has never done one before. Although I think she runs more than me so I am sure she will beat me! I still have yet do complete one without having to walk...ultimately that is my goal...to be able to do the whole 3 miles without walking...

This weekend we are heading to Wisconsin to visit some of my friends from my previous job. I have not been there in almost a year, and Izzy adn Chris haven't seen any of these people in 2 years! I am kinda nervous actually because I hope we still have stuff in common even though I don't work there anymore. This has been the longest I have been not working there. I honestly don't really miss it. I miss the people but do not really miss the job. Maybe I miss the "prestige or importance" of hte job a little and I miss the travel I got to do to other countries, but Izzy is my priority right now and I wouldn't have it any other way

Speaking of work, I am trying to get more motivated and out of my comfort zone a little by doing more marketing for my company. It is my dad's business, a sales trainign business and we are in desperate need of more marketing and I am spear heading the e-marketing part of it. I am excited but a little overwhelmed too...but I am kinda enjoying figuring things out as I go. I just have to keep pushing myself because no one is pushing me really. I also have to gear up for the boring data entry part of getting our database going..it will suck to set up but once I have it set up it should be easy to maintain

My period was about 4 days late this cycle and of course i could not stop my thoughts of possibly beign pg. I obviously wasn't but couldn't help but daydream a little about what would have been if I was...I wonder if these feelings will ever go away?

I need to start looking at daycare/preschool options for Izzy in the fall adn I am totally dreading it!! While the situation we have now is fine, i feel like she needs more stimulation hence looking at other options. because she doesn't turn 3 until end of January she really doesn't qualify for preschool yet so i will probably look into a daycare setting 2x a week and then let my mom still have one day. I know I shoudl do this for her development but I am not looking forward to the process.

I feel like the summer is flying by so fast I really wish I could slow it down! The next couple weeks will be busy so that isn't going to help slow things down at all.

I could keep goign but need to get back to work. Stay tuned for hopefully some awesome pictures in the next couple days, we are having family pictures taken tomorrow night by a friend who is an AWESOME photographer. I can't wait!!

Potty Training

I don't know if I am the only one or not, but I find potty training so overwhelming!!! I haven't pushed Izzy really at all because most people I had talked to said when they are ready you will know and it will make it soooo much easier if they are ready. And for the longest time she really had no interest.

So the last couple of weeks Izzy has been peeing on the potty when she wants too! I had bought a potty seat that fits on teh regular potty a while ago but she never really used it. Well my mom had a stand alone potty chair at her house and shockingly she used it when she was at my mom's....so my mom had an extra in her basement from when my neices potty trained so I took it home and put it in the half bath on our main floor. Sure enough she will use it. Sometimes when I ask if she wants to go, she says no thank you! Othertimes she will do it. And a couple of times she has actually told me she had to go. She will not poop on the potty though, she is very adament about that!

So do I take a long weekend, buy some underwear and push the issue or do I just leave it casual for now? Part of me for selfish reasons wants to leave it casual for a while because lets be honest...diapers are pretty convientent for the parents! We have a trip coming up next weekend, going to Wisconsin by car so I don't want to do it before then b/c then it will take us forever to get to wisconsin we will have to stop all teh time to see if she has to go potty! See selfish...is this bad of me. I am thinking that I will buy the underwear and let her try them out in the next couple of weeks and go from there...i would be really nice to have her potty trained by the end of the summer.....

Any great tips or words of advice from the mom's out there that come across my blog?

2 years + 5 months

Well my beautiful girl, i cannot believe that you are one month away from being 2 1/2! Where did the time go. You are continuing to grow and change each and every day..

You are a non stop chatter box these days and you like to mimic or repeat lots of things you hear us say. My favorite one recently is we were outside and teh cat was whining in the sunroom because she wanted to join us out side and you say with the most perfect inflection in your voice "Oh STOP it Kiki" I know daddy and I have both said this and I about fell out of my chair when I heard you say it. The other funny phrase you have said recently is you almost fall or whatever and you will wipe your hand across your forehead and day "phew, that was close!"

You have very good manners and you use them all the time, even when you may not have a choice in teh matter. When you don't want to do something or don't want something you always say "No thank you". When you toot or burp you will say "excuse me, good manners" so adorable!!

You love to play with water, the water table, or a bucket of it you don't care. You love to pour it out of the watering can and into a cup and love to serve mommy and daddy. You will say "what do you want guys?"

You often sing to yourself or hum when you are doing something or riding in the car. You sing the whole twinkle twinkle song as well as your abc's. You know both songs perfectly and it is so sweet to hear it in your voice. Lately you have been singing a lot of eyi eyi oh, super cute.

The biggest development in the last month is you have started using teh potty!!!!!! Who knew i just had to get a stand alone potty seat instead of the one that fit on the toilet. You call it "drippins" when you pee just a little on the potty. You get so proud of yourself you have to stand up quick and look at hte pee pee and then you say "I did it!" You aren't going everytime I ask you , sometimes you say no thank you but you are going more and more. Just 2 nights ago before your bath you say "mommy potty, potty mommy" so i went running took off your diaper and you went!! First time you ever asked to go without me asking. You still won't poop on teh potty you prefer your diaper and a quiet corner or space to do your business but we are making huge progress!!!! I think mommy will be shopping soon for some big girl underwear!!!!

I love watching all the fun things you do everyday, and love that we can start having more and more "conversations" I love you big girl!!!