I should be...

Cleaning.Campbell is taking a long nap and my floors are dirty, there is dry laundry in the dryer and wet clothes in the washer, there are dirty dishes in the sink and clean dishes in the dishwasher...I really SHOULD be cleaning.  But I'm not.  I'm blogging, I'm Internet searching, I'm pinning, I'm facebooking, I'm texting friends, I'm contemplating watching the Real Housewives Orange County that is on my DVR and although I am feeling a tad guilty..I'm allowing myself to "let go" and enjoy (insert smile). 

I make a conscious choice everyday to play and do things solely with Campbell when she is awake.  Sometimes that includes walking laps around my downstairs while her cute little fingers wrap around my two hands (while my back is giving out because I have been hunched over for 30+ minutes).  Sometimes that means acting excited to play with Elmo for the 10th time that day or sit and hit the same keys on her baby Einstein piano.  Whatever activity we go to or do at home I devote my time to my child and when she sleeps I do my other job, housewife - cleaning, cooking, etc etc. 

Today I am mom and lazy.  There is always tomorrow.

Faith

I'm a Christian.

I grew up in a family that went through spurts of going to church every Sunday and then going to church on holidays (I really dislike the last part).
My dad once said to me, "God spends his whole days caring for you and watching out over you, do you not have 1 hour each Sunday to give to him?"  Sad, but true.  I want and wanted God to be apart of my life for a very long time.

Out of all times in my life, I had the most fulfilling and wonderful relationship with God when I was a freshman and sophomore in high school.  I was apart of something called Young Life, which really helped me to understand and form a relationship with God.  I was convicted and stronger than ever in my faith.  And it felt amazing!

Unfortunately, I have let that relationship come and go and not made much time or effort for it.  BK and I struggled for a lot of years on what church to settle on.  We struggled with how we want to share our faith together and now as a family.  BUT we do agree we want that faith to be shared as a family and as a couple.  We want our child and one day children to know that church is just something we do on Sundays.  No complaining, no begging not to go and sleep in instead, we just go and we do it together.  And when we leave, we talk about church and our faith, we encourage each other, we pray together...church and faith are just apart of who we are.

However, you can imagine my struggle with the above, with the fact that I am currently in a rut with my relationship with God.  Sure, I am apart of a bible study.  Yes, we attend church.  Of course, I say my prayers and give thanks or try to give thanks almost everyday, but I am struggling and I don't know why? 

I'm hopefully this will change...and even more hopeful this is a normal.

Happy 9 months

Happy 9 Months


Happy 9 months Campbell. I CANNOT believe you are 3 months away from your first birthday. Saying that brings happy tears to my eyes.

I always say this but time is flying by and everyday I wish I could freeze it.

YOU

 

1. You weigh 18.7 lbs

 

2. You are in size 4 diaper

 

3. You eat about a 6 oz. bottle every 4 hours and now eat a full breakfast, lunch and dinner. You LOVE food!! You have been eating "table" or finger food for about 2 months now.  Anything Daddy and I eat, so do you.  You get mad and upset if you don't eat exactly what we do - sassy little thing : ) 

4. You go to bed each night between around 6:30pm-7:00pm and sleep until 6:30am!

5. You now crawl like crazy, but you love to pull yourself up and pratice walking.  You constantly are "asking" (reaching out for our hands) for our fingers so you can pull yourself up and walk around the house.  Mommy's back hurts by the end of the day : )  It is so funny to see you standing in your crib now.  We recently had to lower your mattress to the 3rd level...where has the time gone?!

6. You take 2 naps a day each for about 1.5 hours!

7. You love to laugh and talk.  You talk up a storm and mostly in public.  When you do this I say you are giving "your town hall meetings" ha!  You say mama and dada. 

8. You are so smart!!  You know exactly what and who we are talking about and show us you know by looking at or picking up what we are talking about.  You also know the word, NO and give a devilish look/smile when I say it to you...sassy girl : )  You are so good though and ohh so loving

9. You are such a creature of habit and I love it!  It gives us all some structure and we all know what to expect

10. You still love your green newborn soothie paci - ha.  You have about 5 in your crib at one time 

11. You love playdates, library storytime and getting out of the house.  We are trying to use and show you the word share a lot, as this isn't one of your best qualities at the moment, ha.

12. You are now impossible to change as you just try to roll over and get away, it has only got worse since your 6 month post. 

13. You LOVE your walker.  It gives you freedom around the downstairs since you hate to crawl on the hardwood floors.  You terrorize Abby in that thing..constantly finding her hiding and pulling her fur and ears.  It is so cute, but sometimes I do have to stick up for Abby and turn you in the other direction.  You LOVE Abby!!

14. You now have 3 teeth on the bottom and 4 others coming thru - you poor baby.  I know that doesn't feel good.   

15. You LOVE books and being read to.  You laugh and smile at books like Peek-A-Moo or Hoppity Hop Bunny.  You adore Goodnight Moon and certainly tell us when you don't like a book by slamming it shut and pushing it out of the way.

16. You love to give kisses and hugs.  And Daddy and I LOOOVEEE this. 

I could write a novel about how much you mean to us and how much our love for you grows daily. We thank God everyday for the gift of you. We love you Campbell.

8 months

Happy 8 month birthday Campbell

Let me keep with tradition, "You are at such a fun age!"

You are a true snuggle bug

You show you like something by opening your mouth and putting your head to it - so cute!

You are sassy!  You want to be such a big girl and do things on your own

Hence why you only eat finger foods now

I have to distract you with something just to get a spoonful of yogurt in your mouth

You love cheese and bread

You love to laugh and smile

You are a great sleeper

You are a fantastic eater...last time we took you to the Dr. you weighed 18.5lbs!

Unfortunately, you were sick most of the month of December with pink eye, double ear infection and RSV.  We found out the mold from our live Christmas tree caused all of this - I'm so sorry!  New Year's Eve was spent at the ER due to your breathing issues from RSV

You LOVE your lovie and we finally let you sleep with it at night

You LOVE Elmo

You crawled for the first time yesterday (January 11, 2012)

You love to be scared, haha

You HATE the vaccum

You HATE when I blow my nose

You LOVE books

You love to talk and babble.  Most sounds are daddadadadada and mamamamamamama but I don't know if you know to say those words when talking to me or daddy

You are our darling baby

We love you

7 Months

Happy (belated) 7 month Birthday Campbell - you turned 7 months on November 29th

I say this each time, but you are at such a fun age!
You sit up totally on your own and when you do fall over, it's because you mean to
You don't seem to have any interest right now in crawling but you love to stand and you really love to jump in your jumperoo
You love to eat!  (Wonder where you got this from, ha)
You love to pick up your own food, so we have begun to give you small, very small pieces of food you can grab - bananas, avocado
Both your bottom teeth are completely in and visible!! YAY.  They are so cute
Your smile and laugh are infectious
Your sleeping has been a little off - you seem to cry and make lots of noises in your sleep and then wake yourself up and expect me or daddy to come in and get you...you're a smart one little ladybug
You love the books "Goodnight Moon"  "Hoppity Hop Bunny" "Peek-A-Moo" and Dr. Suess's "Go Baby"
If you don't like a book being read to you, you physically slam it shut!  You certainly know what you want
You have had a rough month of being sick.  You had your first infection..PINK EYE which turned into a double ear infection..poor baby.  And then a horrible cold and cough.  No fun for anyone.  Daddy and I spent much time doing snuggles with you
I finally let you put your lovie in your crib with you and you LOVE it
You aren't really into Paci anymore.  You take it at bedtime but other than that you never have it during the day
You love your toy mailbox and constantly want to "hit" the plastic letters that you put inside together.  You even hold out a letter to Daddy or I and that is our signal to HIT your letter..haha it is so funny and so cute!

You are our darling baby
We Love You

Catch All

Radom items I have either thought about or experienced and items I haven't blogged about but don't want to (read:  I don't have the time) do 500 individual posts.

1.  How the hell do you find time to workout - like a serious workout with a baby?  Running with the jogging stroller is sooo hard, No?

2.  A constipated baby is no fun and very sad

3.  I feel I am not doing the whole "feeding solids" to my baby correctly.  Yes, I know there is no right or wrong, but I don't do well without some guidance and structure especially when it comes to the health of your child.

4.  This is huge...Campbell got baptized on October 8, 2011.  It was so special to us and am so grateful for friends and family who traveled to be there

5.  I am striving to be a better Christian and am growing more in my faith.  This feels good.

6.  I take time out of each day to tell God how grateful I am.  I have A LOT to be grateful for.

7.  I need good make-up.  Something to make me feel "put together"

8.  There are still so many things I want to do with Campbell's room - this would be the only downside to waiting to find out the gender...you then need to complete the room once you know if your baby has boy parts or girl parts.

9.  I have already begun addressing my Christmas cards!  Yay to this one.

10.  We are traveling to CT for Thanksgiving.  I am looking forward to seeing family, I am not looking forward to having a 7 month old on a plane.  I am not looking forward to having her "off" her schedule/routine for 5 days, especially since right now her naps are are soo good!

11.  I have learned so much in 6 short months about being a mom, a parent, a partner. 

12.  My favorite time of day is when I get to go in and get my baby in her crib in the morning. 

13.  I have already begun thinking and starting to plan her 1st birthday

14.  I can't stop this list now, I really want it to end on a number with 5 - OCD much??

15.  I can stop now I am on a multiple of 5.  I end with..I truly love my life and the people in it.  BLESSED is an understatement.

Happy 6 Months

Happy 6 months Campbell.   I CANNOT believe you are half-way to your first birthday.  Saying that brings happy tears to my eyes.


I always say this but time is flying by and everyday I wish I could freeze time.

YOU

1. You weigh 16.6 lbs

2. You are in size 3 diaper

3. You eat about a 6 oz. bottle every 4 hours and now eat a "lunch" and "dinner" of "solids."  So far, you have had Rice cereal, Oatmeal, Bananas, Apples, Pears, and Sweet Potatoes.  You LOVE oatmeal with cinnamon and applesauce.  You also LOVE Mum-Mums!  You HATE mashed bananas, but love little pieces of them.  Pears a natural laxative for you, ha.  You just started to grab and put food in your mouth, so we have began giving you small pieces - this makes Mommy so nervous about choking!  But I realize you have to learn and I am happy that you are learning new things like this.  Today we are starting Avocado 

4. You go to bed each night between around 6:30pm-7:00pm and sleep until 6:30am! 

5. You are a very loud sleeper

6. You take about 2 (maybe 3) naps a day.  They range from 45 minutes - 1 1/2 hours

7. You love to laugh

8. You sit up all by yourself now

9. You are learning the motions of crawling, however, right now you move backward instead of forward, ha!

10. You hold and grab toys and when you get excited to kick your legs and arms like crazy, it is so cute

11. You can put your paci back in your mouth when it falls out.  We now have like 3 pacis in your crib at one time

12. You are now impossible to change as you just try to roll over and get away

13. You LOVE your jump-a-roo

14. You are one TEETHING baby!  Drool is constantly running out of your mouth and everything is constantly being put in it. 

15. You show interest in books we read and let us know when you don't like a book

16.  You love to yell and scream - it's your way of talking

I could write a novel about how much you mean to us and how much our love for you grows daily. We thank God daily for the gift of you. We love you Campbell.