Chocolate Polka Dots:

Pensieve 2/1/12

2012-02-01T19:04:00.002-06:00

*How in the world is it February?

*Claire sang the ENTIRE alphabet today for the first time!

*I think I would like to move. Some place with land. And south.

*I can't sleep enough these days. It's annoying.

*MJ is FINALLY getting a top tooth. And it's one of her incisors. She's going to look awesome in a few days.

*MJ can take up to 4 steps at a time.

*As I type this, Claire is reading "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". It might be the cutest thing ever.

*My clothes are already not fitting because of the bump. Can I pull off cute dresses and leggings?

*Now Claire is chewing on the book she just finished reading. What?

*Now we're going to read it together.

Do-over

2012-01-27T19:38:00.003-06:00

This Mommy needs a "do-over".

It's been one of those weeks that hasn't been bad or even really all that stressful; I'm just DONE WITH IT.

So my do-over is tomorrow.

The husband is on his way home, we don't have plans this weekend, we get to go to church, and that's about it.

I ordered an alarm clock for Claire that lights up when it's time to be in bed and when it's daytime. She's good about staying in bed after she falls asleep. My hope is that this will be the miracle that will keep her in her room for a "quiet time"/nap without waking MJ. I'm going to try to be patient and not be devastated if it doesn't work tomorrow. :)

Now it's off to watch the last bit of Backyardigan's before convincing Claire it's time to sleep and then a Valentine's Day wreath has my name all over it.

I lead an exciting life, folks. I know.

The Big Girl Bed

2012-01-27T13:37:00.002-06:00

Ugh.

That's how I feel about this dang bed right now.

I REFUSE to let this be the end of nap time. But the truth is, Claire was already starting to phase out napping, and this darn bed isn't helping that.

I probably need to accept the fact that we're transitioning to a new phase of life, without a nap.

And the napping thing isn't the worst of it; it's the not going to sleep at night. Last night she was finally quiet at 11. Yes, 11 PM.

I have been spoiled rotten by really good sleepers so now I'm being a a big, whiny baby.

I'm tired.

And now Claire just yelled, "Mama," from the top of the stairs, waking MJ who is now hysterical..... sigh.

My Chocolate Vampire

2012-01-26T19:05:00.003-06:00

My sister says that MJ looks like a mini-Jeremy vampire.

She actually has a whole piece Hershey's Bliss dark chocolate in her mouth.

And, clearly, she could not have been happier about it!

Pensieve 1/25/12

2012-01-25T21:43:00.002-06:00

*My appetite is coming back.

*Any energy to clean is not. Our house is gross. I do not care.

*I'm sad that I think Claire's transition to her big girl bed is also the demise of nap time. (I'm going to try the quiet time thing and I'm not giving up hope YET)

*I'm itching to rearrange my house. Grateful that my sister-in-law shares my enjoyment of this and is willing to help since I'm not technically supposed to move anything. (Sorry, Jeremy. Love you!)

*I'm so excited that work on our basement starts SOON.

*My baby bump seems to have grown overnight. (Hello, third child/pregnancy)

*I have a 1000 things to do, and yet, I still waste entirely too much time playing on the internet.

*I have to remember to buy watercolor paints for Claire tomorrow. She used them up and it is, by far, her favorite activity.

*Claire has discovered candy and is now addicted. Great.

*Claire has started singing more than Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Mostly just random words. I love it. She's just like her father.

*MJ would eat all day long if I let her.

*MJ spends 60% of her day walking in circles around our house with her little stroller or toy train.

*Claire and MJ's favorite thing to do is wrestle and play on C's new big girl bed. It's hilarious. Until C throws herself on MJ's head and she cries.

My Robot-daughter

2012-01-24T20:31:00.001-06:00

Mama: "Claire, it's time to go night-night."

Claire: "No, I'm a robot! Robot's don't go night-night!"

True. Sort of.

Oh pregnancy

2012-01-24T17:14:00.003-06:00

I have wanted to complain all day:

*I'm tired.

*Food sounds disgusting most of the time.

*My back (tailbone) hurts SO BADLY from falling on ice Friday night.

*I'm not sleeping well.

*I want to sleep all day long.

*I just want to eat and feel okay after.

*I want to feel like I'm actually taking care of my kids.

*I want energy.

*I want to feel like going and doing things without making myself.

But I'm not complaining (too much). Well, at least not out loud (all the time).

And I'm convicted. Yes, pregnancy isn't easy for me (is it easy for anyone?) and I might have a right to complain because these symptoms suck. Who really wants to feel hung over for at least 3 months straight? (yes, that's how it feels)

BUT. BUT. I have a growing, healthy baby growing.

I'm blessed.

So I stop in my self-pity and am thankful. Thankful that each time I'm nauseous, I remember that my body is providing for someone else. That when I'm tired, that this baby is growing. (yes, sometimes, most of the time still grumbling) And that God gave us this baby for a reason and at this time.

I'm even more overwhelmed in my conviction because a sweet couple I know is going through something horrendous. Please visit their website and pray for the Anderson's. I cannot stop thinking of them and praying for them.

Life is so fragile.

Sassy crackers

2012-01-17T09:07:00.002-06:00

I forgot this little gem from yesterday too.

I think Claire was asking for the umpteenth time if we could go back to Poppy's house. I told her, "No, we couldn't," as we were there that morning and it was nearing dinner time.

Her response while she stood there with her little baggie of goldfish crackers?

"Mama, my crackers say that you can't say No."

Really?

She has started saying this a lot when we say No.

"You can't say No, Mama."

Well, yes, my dear, I can. For your own good.

The 1st Pretend Haircut

2012-01-16T20:54:00.004-06:00

**No actual hair was lost in this incident. :)

Tonight Claire and MJ were playing in the sunroom when I heard MJ starting to fuss, the kind of fuss that lets me know Claire is bugging her. I walked in and asked what was going on, and Claire replied, "I'm just pretending to cut MJ's hair!" while MJ was trying to cruise away from her.

Now they WERE play scissors from her doctor's kit so no hair would have been lost. Not loving this game, I said, "Now, Claire, I don't really like this game. We're not going to pretend to cut anyone's hair. Please leave your sister alone."

Claire then said, "No, Mama, it's okay. I just PRETEND."

I, of course, said, "No, ma'am. Please give me the scissors and play another game."

Her response?

"Mama, you go read and I'll be real quiet." (still holding the scissors)

Seriously?!

The whole thing ended with her screaming no and it just got uglier.

I have a feeling we're headed toward the terrible (manipulative) 3's!

Surprise!

2012-01-13T14:23:00.003-06:00

Yes, that would be a picture of #3 on the way!

And, yes, this was the best picture of these knuckleheads that I could get. Taking a picture of them together is impossible these days. MJ is just too active.

I'll admit, although this wasn't a surprise for us, I'm still in shock. I've had two ultrasounds so far, one at 6 weeks due to some issues, and then one today at 8 weeks and a few days. Everything looks perfect!!

I'm also sicker than I ever was with my girls. My nausea is way worse and I'm actually getting sick which wasn't so much the case with the other two. And this never-ending cold I've had is NOT helping. I carry around saltines and coke all day. It cracks me up because the girls fight over the crackers- you'd think it was the best treat ever.

Jeremy traveled all week and I've never felt so sick (on top of the girls being sick). It was definitely my most difficult week parenting thus far. Melinda kept me sane by checking on me every day, Jerry (my f-i-l) gave me breaks and allowed me time to sleep, and Greta brought me a coke when I really needed it. Other friends checked in and I'm so grateful. I'm so grateful to have a community around me that I know I can ask for help when I need it.

We'll find out in around 10 weeks if this little one is a boy or girl. We can't wait to meet he/she in August! (Or July if my track record stands for early births!)

MJ's Firsts?

2012-01-12T14:10:00.003-06:00

The question mark isn't a mistake. MJ has done a few things this week that I *think* are firsts... but then I also feel like Rachel when she thinks Emma has said her first word over the phone. (Anyone? "She's going to be a scientist!")

*Earlier this week I could have sworn she said, "Night-night" to Claire as I carried her up the stairs. The girls always say that and I love you as they go to bed.

*Last night MJ took a step towards me, purely on accident. She stands very well on her own, and last night she wanted something I was holding. She took a step forward, looked totally shocked, and fell down laughing.

This really isn't a first this week but she's pointing, gesturing, and grunting for things a whole lot more. This morning when I went to her room, she was pointing and babbling about everything in her room very intentionally.

I guess she's making the most of the alone times she has since her sister talks so darn much.

**Additional note: MJ can walk behind her toy stroller and train; just not on her own yet.

Mad Men and Me

2012-01-11T20:22:00.002-06:00

The show "Mad Men" might be bad for my health and for my marriage. I've been watching the series and am in the middle of season 2.

I've had two colds so far this winter, and this one is going on a week. When I get a cold, I cough. BADLY. I'm convinced that watching the amount of smoking on Mad Men is not helping it go away. In fact, I may even cough more when I watch it.

Moving on to my marriage.

I got the mail out of the box on Saturday and on top was a handwritten, small, manilla envelope addressed to my husband. I love receiving mail so, of course, I was anxious to find out for him who it was from and what he got.

Want to know what was in it? An ad from a hotel in Texas.

Oh, but not just ANY ad.

It was a handwritten, nondescript note to my husband by name to visit the hotel with a website all WRITTEN ON A COCKTAIL NAPKIN.

Now, I'm in Season 2 of this show. The men on this show are anything but faithful.

All I had to do was look at my husband and he knew how my thoughts were reeling.

We looked up the website and saw all the ads and then we acknowledged the fact that this show is definitely affecting how I look at him. Probably in more ways than this one. (And I still want to contact the hotel about their scandalous ad campaign, although it worked since we went to the dumb website.)

Oh, Don, why must you be so awful but so great at the same time? And, Peggy, I love the success you've accomplished.

I just can't stop watching.

Our Germ-Filled Cookies

2012-01-09T13:02:00.005-06:00

We are still sick in this house. Well, Claire and I are. MJ is just being her sweet self and is apparently having a growth spurt which is causing her to to take a long nap every afternoon and sleep 12-14 hours a night. Praise Jesus.

Claire has been on a baking kick which is fine by me because I love it. I learned quickly how to make this process fun for BOTH of us after we tried baking a disastrous batch of brownies together. The brownies weren't good and we were both mad.

Moving on.

NOW when we bake, we each have our own bowl. We each mix up our own ingredients. The difference: Claire's batter winds up all over the counter and floor and mine turns into something we eat in 18-20 minutes. :) We both have fun, and it's worth the clean-up in the end.

Last night she requested cookies and I just happened to have "pinned" a strawberry cake batter cookie recipe I figured she'd love- being pink and all. (it was just okay)

So while we DID make our own "batches" of cookies, with the amount of coughing happening, I won't be handing these cookies out to any healthy people.

Here are pictures, you can see how sick she is in her eyes. It was fun and a good distraction from feeling badly. Oh, and ignore the smoothie all over her face.

This last picture basically sums up why our baking method is 100% effective for a good time :)

Christmas 2011 in (a few) pictures

2012-01-08T15:24:00.002-06:00

Claire checking out Santa's haul.

(And check out that mullet!)

Claire and MJ playing with Cookie Monster. He's a big hit :)

Claire was a little nervous about how he opens and closes his mouth but MJ was fearless.

The girls before Christmas Eve service.

My Mom made the dresses.

These girls make me laugh.

4 years in the Lou

2012-01-06T15:10:00.002-06:00

We moved here FOUR years ago this week!

I seriously can't believe it.

I mean, it DOES makes sense when I think about the fact that we've had two kids and I got my License in Professional Counseling in Missouri.

But STILL.

I still miss my Georgia friends and Columbus Young Life so much. I wish we were closer especially now that we have the kiddos. I need to visit soon!

I really do like St. Louis a lot and am grateful for all our friends and church home. I feel very settled and am excited about staying here longer. I've been particularly excited lately as we have been beginning to plan for preschool. I love where we live so much and I'm still so happy with our house.

And did you know that Crestwood just won best city to live in in Missouri???

My source is my husband- but I promise he read that somewhere credible. :)

Fall was hard.

2012-01-05T12:02:00.005-06:00

Fall was hard. Really hard.

I started working a bit more, not knowing that Jeremy would get another job, making our lives crazy. I'm pretty sure Jeremy was out of town for most of this past Fall. If he wasn't, it felt that way. And while I love my job, working some crazy hours and finding babysitters was stressful. And please don't hear me saying that I regret any of it, because I don't. I loved the work I got to do. It was just a hard mix of things that became the perfect storm for me in creating craziness and loneliness.

Okay, enough of the drama.

Here are the blessings from the storm:

*Jeremy's new job- praise God! It's a good fit for us.

*Friends who helped me not sink when it was entirely possible.

*Confidence that I really love my job and it's what I'm supposed to be doing.

*Renewed love of being a Mommy. That role in itself has been hard to adjust to.

*Renewed love of Bible study thanks to the Riverside women's study. Such a blessing. I'm going to continue attending that one and have committed to the Old Orchard study. So excited!

That's probably not all of it but those are the highlights.

I'm looking forward to this year. As cheesy as it is, I like that it feels like a new beginning. I'm so blessed to love my job and be with my kiddos so much.

My Baby Girl

2012-01-04T15:22:00.002-06:00

Isn't she just the cutest?

This was at Miss Jill's house on MJ's first birthday.

Mary Jane turned one November 16, and that was also the day she started standing consistently. She has yet to walk without her toy stroller or train but she couldn't be more proud of her standing skills. Nor could we. She doesn't talk but she grunts and points at things. The girl's favorite activity might be eating. (which has been true since birth) She would eat a whole bag of clementines if I let her. MJ gets so excited when she even sees one. She worships her older sister and is still a Mama's girl. MJ has the most amazing belly laugh.

I mean, seriously, could she be any cuter?!

Sickness and distracted kids

2012-01-03T10:38:00.003-06:00

Ugh. I woke up with a nasty cold today, on top of the yuckiness I've been feeling lately. While all I've wanted to do this morning is crawl back in bed, I've had the privilege of vegging on the couch while the girls played together. They are so stinkin' cute together right now. They rarely fight with each other and play together and independently next to each other well. Sure, Claire yanks things away from MJ but my littlest is learning to hold her own. I have a feeling this stage will be fleeting before full-on tackling, fighting, and shrieking will begin. But I'll take it now and count my blessings!!!

I'll leave you with some of my favorite Claire-isms right now:

*"Hi-yo, yittle MJ!"

*"Do you like that sound?" (After she purposefully makes any sort of noise. It's hilarious.)

*"I'm pink dark pink Angelina Ballerina, and you're Mama Mousling, and Daddy is Daddy Mousling." (I'm really not loving Angelina Ballerina but I do love to watch C dance.)

"MJJJJJJJJJJJJ!!!!"

"I'm cowboy Claire!" (Anytime she wears her cowboy boots.)

Back. And not just because it's the new year.

2012-01-01T15:59:00.002-06:00

Yes, I decided to start blogging again for a couple reasons:

1. My husband said he likes my blog.

2. I realized over this season that quite a few out of town friends and family keep in touch with us over this blog.

3. For some reason, I felt like I was sucking at blogging but WHO CARES?! I'm just trying to keep a record of my family. It's not REALLY for y'all :)

And, no, this isn't a new year's resolution.

It just happened to coincide. Not that I have anything against resolutions. This just isn't one of mine.

If you want to know them, ask me when you see me next :)

7 Whole Years

2011-09-26T13:49:00.004-05:00

The husband and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary yesterday.

7 whole years.

For us, that equals:

a 3 month engagement, a one year deployment (4 months after our wedding day), Jeremy's 1st year of teaching, graduate school for me, another job change for Jeremy, losing my Dad, moving to STL, the house debacle in GA, two babies, and lots of stuff in between.

There is no one else I would have wanted to go through all of that with other than Jeremy Martin.

We celebrated last night by getting carry out from our favorite restaurant (LoRusso's) and ate dinner after the kiddos went to bed. We both agreed that it solidified feeling like parents by enjoying our date night in.

It was perfect.

Here's to many more, husband!!

Two things

2011-09-16T15:29:00.001-05:00

Two things I want to remember about today:

MJ ducking her head when I tried feeding her. As soon as I would put the spoon to her mouth, she would duck. Mashed sweet potatoes covered her forehead and hair.

Claire saying, "When you were little like MJ, you were born."

Pensieve: September 9, 2011

2011-09-09T14:03:00.003-05:00

*I eat entirely too much Nutella.
*I'm pretty sure I'm more productive throughout the day when I shower in the morning.
*I. Love. My. Job. It's a privilege.
*I love that I love my job so much and still get to be with my girls the majority of the time. HUGE blessing. I wouldn't do it if it weren't for that. And if it weren't for Jill.
*I love it when the windows are open and a breeze is going through our house.
*C's train table has GOT to leave our sunroom. I'm tired of it being there.
*The only reason the train table hasn't moved is because I can't move it myself.
*Yes, I've tried to move it myself.
*Claire had better fall asleep before 10pm tonight. Seriously, child.
*Claire would eat her weight in black olives if I let her.
*I'm grateful for friends who watch my kiddos to help me out. (thanks, again, Greta)
*I have to fold 6 loads of laundry at some point today. Ugh.
*I've been daydreaming about owning a minivan. How the heck did this happen?
*I miss living in the South this time of year. College football season just isn't the same.
*MJ's very first tooth emerged on my birthday this week.
*MJ's preferred mode of movement is rolling. It's awesome.
*Is there anything greater than hearing your kiddos laugh? Like REALLY laugh?
*MJ has the best belly laugh.
*I definitely just dated this post as 2009, posted it, and then came back and changed it.

A Great Weekend

2011-09-04T12:56:00.004-05:00

This has been a great weekend.

**Disclaimer: I do not have perfect children. They are wonderful, beautiful, funny, and sweet but they also whine, yell, spend time in time out, and beg for crazy things. All of which happened in the midst of this weekend. Oh, and I did my fair share of losing my patience as well.**

Back to this weekend.

I suppose I want to write about it so that I remember it.

So that when I get overwhelmed on the weekends, when they go by too fast, or they don't seem all that fun and relaxing... I can stop and see what needs to change or happen so that I enjoy the two days of the week that are supposed to be different from the other five.

We haven't done anything spectacular. We haven't even had a babysitter. And my baby girl even woke up for an hour at 5am on Friday night. (I just listened to her talk for an hour before she went back too sleep.)

Here's what we've done:
*I got to take an hour long nap Saturday morning.
*While the baby napped in the morning, C and I went on a long walk and then played at a park while the husband had some quiet time at the house.
*We had Saturday lunch at ChickFila. (This is becoming a tradition for us.)
*We ran into friends from church at lunch. So fun and a blessing.
*I went to Sams alone in the afternoon, and I got to wander around and compare prices without anyone whining or asking for things.
*We watched a late afternoon movie and played.
*Ate leftovers.
*The Schawacker's came over to play Ticket to Ride when the girls went to sleep. (They had to arrive after Claire went to bed because she NEVER would have gone to bed with her crush here.)
*Went to church Sunday morning. Claire ran into nursery without even saying bye to me, MJ played happily on the ground in the back of church during the sermon, and Jeremy served communion. I love our church. It was a peaceful morning seeing familiar faces and feeling at home. AND we walked in to the Wilson's leading worship and singing "Thy Mercy My God" which I've sung to my girls since they were born.)
*Now we're at home with the windows open.

So looking at this, I know it doesn't seem like the most stellar weekend.

But here's what I notice: I actually RELAXED. The husband and I got to do things we wanted and we still played with the girls. I didn't have an agenda or an expectation that didn't get fulfilled.

Seriously. What more can you ask out of this stage of life except to enjoy the downtime and rest when you can. And play when you can as well. Sometimes I just need to get out of the way and appreciate the here and now.

(And, as a side note, I'm even more grateful for a good weekend since my birthday is tomorrow!)

Sweet girls

2011-08-25T21:50:00.003-05:00

I love them.
Claire's smile while she's talking.
MJ's squishy rolls.
I almost want to wake them up.
Almost.

But then I remember that MJ will want to eat all the time and will whine about not being able to reach the toys she wants. She's finally frustrated about being immobile.

And then I remember that Claire will probably be bossy and beg to watch more Backyardigans.

So I will let them sleep so I can have a much needed break.

To watch Friday Night Lights. (again)

So I will be ready to begin a new day tomorrow.

They've started interacting even more.
And sweet MJ worships her big sister.

My heart walking around times 2.
I love them.

The Secret of My Success (lately)

2011-08-23T14:58:00.003-05:00

I feel like I have a better handle on life.

Seriously.

My kiddos are a (little) older. We're sleeping well.

I finally turned a corner where I feel like I can be ME and have two kiddos. Really, I'm not being dramatic, up until this point, I felt like life was on hold until these kiddos left for college. Well, not even on hold, but OVER. I could not make sense of what life was supposed to look like with kids.

But suddenly, I'm having a lot more fun with my kids. I'm doing stuff around my house. I'm enjoying my outside-the-home-job, I'm remembering (some) things again. And I've been more present with friends, family, and the husband.

If you know me well, you know that I've had a really, REALLY hard time adjusting to being a Mama. I can't explain it in one post, but I've felt compelled to talk about it because no one does.

Sure we complain about being tired, not being a good mama, etc, but I have felt like a stranger just trying to survive for the last two and half years.

That is, up until a few months ago.

I don't know what changed but something did and I am oh so grateful that God pulled me out. Because I believe it's because of Him.

So what's keeping me going lately. What's the secret of my success?

1. Reading "Jesus Calling" every morning. Love it so much.

2. Listening to 99.1 Joyfm in my car. Cheesy, sometimes.

3. Intentionally turning the tv off during naptime and at night. (not all the time)

4. This iced coffee recipe. Oh my word.

5. Trying to save money. I'm more creative and it feels good to accomplish this.

6. Slowing down. I'm intentionally stopping myself from always thinking of the next whatever that's going to happen.

I want to look back on this time while my kiddos are young and remember that I DID enjoy it.

What do you need to change or start doing to take care of yourself in the midst of baby/child chaos?

I'm still here

2011-08-21T13:41:00.002-05:00

Honestly, I just have no idea what to write anymore.

This blog is just a whole lot of randomness and I'm not sure where to go with it.

So I just stopped writing altogether.

Then I came to an epiphany: I'm pretty random, this blog is mine, so why do I have to have it a certain way?

So I'm going to write more and not care what it is or isn't.

Stay tuned.

Claire-isms I want to remember

2011-07-12T22:23:00.002-05:00

Daddy: "Claire, do you go to work?"
Claire: "Yes"
Daddy: "Where do you work?"
Claire: "At Miss Jill's house."
Daddy: "What do you do there?"
Claire: "I drink milk and water and eat popcorn."

Claire using the potty at the first time at Jill's: "It's broken! It doesn't work here!"

Claire: "There are ghosts here!"
Mommy: "Ghosts? What do they do?"
Claire: "They TICKLE YOU!"
(we've had a LOT of conversations about ghosts and monsters lately)

Mommy: "Don't poke your sister, Claire."
Claire: "Mommy, I just poke her a little bit."

The next day...
Mommy: "Claire, don't poke your sister."
Claire: "I just poke her in the eye, Mommy."

Claire has learned to sing sing Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star on her own and she can sing a good bit of the Wonder Pets song. She is so sweet to her sister, telling MJ not cry and that it's okay when she does. Claire gives MJ toys and helps clean up her own toys. She loves to help me when I ask for it.

I'm just amazed at the little people my girls are becoming!

Mary Jane is sitting up, mostly on her own. She loves food. Her favorite is squash but she also eats carrots, green beans, peas, apple sauce, pears, sweet potatoes, and prunes. MJ has only gotten a few puffs into her mouth on her own but she really seems to love them. She doesn't seem at all interested in crawling but she scoots a bit. That's fine by me; mobility will add an entirely different level of chaos to my days with my girls!

2011-07-03T21:12:00.002-05:00

I interrupt another chunk of time wasted "pinning" to bring you this blog post.

I'm totally loving Pinterest. I love seeing all kinds of things that I like on my "boards". What's even better is that I'm actually trying out the recipes, being crafty, and finishing stuff in my house that I've wanted to forever. I love this.

The house we're in IS our forever house. I'd be happy staying here forever. Now I'm actually treating it as such. And it is so much fun. Who knows, maybe we'll move some day. But I feel so blessed to feel settled. It's a gift.

On a side note, I'm sort of watching the movie that the husband is watching right now, Kick A%*. Maybe the most violent movie I've ever seen. Pretty good music though. I'm very distracted. And my husband is THOROUGHLY enjoying this movie. I mean, superheroes, violence, good music, clever lines, and good clearly prevailing over evil: my husband's kind of movie.

Avenues Counseling blog

2011-06-26T20:01:00.002-05:00

Avenues has a blog! Check us out here.

I had the privilege of writing a post this week. Let me know if you would like us to cover anything specifically. And feel free to add us to your blog roll and tell people about us. :)

Katy's Words of Wisdom this Week:

2011-06-22T21:51:00.002-05:00

"Real friends allow you to complain about your child's bodily functions."

You're welcome.

Seriously, I would be in a deep, dark potty-training abyss if it weren't for Jill and Greta. And a few margaritas.

Avenues Counseling

2011-06-22T12:41:00.002-05:00

So now I'm working for Avenues Counseling which just opened June 1st.

WOO HOO!!!

This is an exciting adventure, and I'm thankful to be a part of it. I work with great people, feel blessed by our mission statement, and love what I do.

Check out our website: http://avenuescounselingcenter.org/.

AND check out our blog: http://avenuescounseling.blogspot.com/.

Please keep us in mind and feel free to refer to us. :)

And add our blog to your reader. We'll have some interesting articles and resources every week.

A whole lot of celebrating!

2011-06-20T21:40:00.004-05:00

So yesterday was Father's Day and today is the Husband's birthday.

That's a whole lot of celebrating!

I don't have any cute pictures (because the husband wouldn't love for me to post any of him) so I will instead celebrate him with a list.

Top Ten Things I love and appreciate about him:
(in no particular order)
10. He is an unbelievably wonderful dad.
9. He is an amazing husband. He loves me well.
8. He's hilarious. We laugh a lot in our house.
7. He can make up a song about anything.
6. He's pretty darn good-looking.
5. He's great at fixing and building things.
4. He has a lot of artistic talent.
3. He says what he means and means what he says.
2. He's a man of action. In life and faith.
1. He is an amazing provider and leader of our family.

Your girls love you very much, Husband!

Ugh.

2011-06-13T22:05:00.003-05:00

I couldn't think of a better title for this post.

Ugh.

Claire seemed to be potty trained for the last few days but today has been a never-ending series of puddles. I definitely didn't pressure her into this; she seemed ready and willing. But today was like being back to square one. Although she's had a little look in her eye that's let me know she probably just hasn't felt like walking over to the potty. I have NO IDEA where she gets that kind of stubbornness. (yes, that's said dripping with sarcasm)

Now before you try to make me feel better or give me advice, all four of you who read my blog, I know that this is a normal perk of a two year old. She will be fine and don't worry about it...

But seriously, I'm not worried or concerned. I'm TIRED. And I can't help wondering, how did people manage before Clorox wipes?

Did I mention that Claire also put me in time out TWICE today?

Gosh, I do love this girl. The day was redeemed by running around the house for probably a half an hour after dinner playing a game of "pretend the alligators are going to get us!" This game looks like this: run around the house, yelling, and fall down every few minutes saying, "the alligator got me." (Claire totally made this up and gave me careful instruction.) Then we cuddled in our recliner watching Wonder Pets.

If only I could get that dang theme song out of my head...

Now the youngest beckons from her crib.....

Feedback from Mamas

2011-06-08T10:54:00.004-05:00

I've been working on a specialty in eating disorders and body image. I truly love these topics. I truly love meeting with women and talking about how there can be freedom in how you eat and how you look. You may read that and think something like, "I don't want to change anything" or "I don't have a problem" or "There's nothing wrong with being healthy." All could be true statements. But don't we all, at some point, feel a bit controlled by certain thoughts? Why not find some fun and freedom in what you normally do?

Here's my question for you:

As a Mom, what concerns you? What do you think about? How have things changed for you since having your kiddo(s)?

More to come...

Flip Flops

2011-06-07T14:36:00.003-05:00

Here it is:

I really, really love this picture more every time I look at it.

I wore flip flops when I got married.
I ended up changing into them at my Dad's wake when he passed away.
(He would have gotten a kick out of that. Heels hurt.)
I wear them almost every single day as soon as the weather gets above 60.

Flip flops are me.

And my sweet girl loves them too.

It may not be the best picture you've ever seen but I really love it.

No word on the contest results.
I'm just happy and proud of my final product.

Contest

2011-06-05T20:27:00.002-05:00

I mentioned in a previous post that I took a class with Fresh Art Photography. Well, they are hosting a contest this weekend for all of us who took this class in April. They are announcing the winner tomorrow.

And how am I?

Freaking. Out. I feel like I'm back in graduate school again when professors and classmates would listen to tapes of my counseling sessions. (sidenote: I had written consent from all of my clients)

These women, who are talented and professionals, are CRITIQUING MY WORK.

Okay, my freak out is over. I feel a bit better. Seriously.

On top of just a contest in itself, the topic could NOT BE ANY MORE DIFFICULT:

a portrait of yourself.

Really? ME? Why not cute kids? A cute dog? Flowers?

We were challenged to be creative, so I started with this question:

Who am I?

My answer: God's daughter, Wife, Mama, sister, daughter, friend, counselor, learning to take pictures, learning to garden, cook, baker.....

How in the %*&$ do you photograph any of THAT????

Okay, before you throw out a million ideas that probably popped into your ahead, please read ahead.

How do you photograph those things when you wonder how good you are at any of them? Especially when you have two small kiddos that suck the energy out of you? Especially when you feel tired, stretched, challenged? Especially when you're finally adjusting to living out a calling as a counselor, raising two little people, trying to invest in friendships, and trying to love your husband well?

Uh, narrow THAT down to one picture!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So after tons of pictures, I got it. A picture that sums up the me I've always been, with the addition of the person I've become. You'll get this if you know me well.

And, no, I'm not showing you the picture yet. I'll post it tomorrow after the winner is revealed... so until then.....

One more picture....

2011-05-23T14:34:00.002-05:00

While I was taking pictures of the girls one day,
I noticed Jack staring longingly for attention.

Poor guy.

He spends a lot of days in the background of little girls' laughing, crying, or whining.

I managed to get this picture which I love.
And I do love my sweet dog.

Again, not edited.
Again, still learning.

Photography

2011-05-23T14:15:00.003-05:00

I took a photography class back in April with Fresh Art Photography.

Oh my word.
It was awesome and I learned that being a true photographer is a MILLION times more complicated than just pointing, shooting, and using your automatic flash.
Not that it's a bad thing if you do it the easy way.
It's your choice.
I definitely go back and forth between cameras and my phone to capture the important stuff.

Here are some of my favorite pictures so far with my Cannon 5D.
These are just four out of a whole lot of blurry and dark ones. :)
By the way, these are totally unedited.

It helps to have such adorable subjects.

Almost a month?

2011-05-17T22:16:00.002-05:00

Has it seriously been almost a month since I last blogged??? I need to get better about this.

Since a good bit has been going on, I'll just list the highlights.

1. MJ turned SIX MONTHS OLD yesterday! A whole post and pictures will be dedicated to her soon.
2. MJ was diagnosed with reflux in her left kidney.
3. I took a photography class and have been taking lots of pictures.
4. Things broken in our house right now: washing machine, dishwasher (although still usable), and sunroom roof. Awesomeness. Annoying but good lesson in how stuff like this is definitely an inconvenience but we have a lot to be thankful for.
5. Claire has begun talking and asking questions at a rate I never thought possible. Sometimes she DOES NOT STOP. I do love it though.
6. My garden is growing and looking good!
7. We spend lots of time outside and lots of time playing on the play set. So fun.
8. Bottle boot-camp worked on MJ and I get to go on the Riverside Women's Retreat this weekend WITHOUT a kiddo! Funny to think I was pregnant on the last one so she was actually with me then....

So those are the highlights. I'll get around to more posts about these things, including pictures, one of these days....

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T21:37:00.002-05:00

This was the best picture I could get today.
I know I'm biased, but these girls are so darn cute.

Things I know and love about this picture because I'm the Mama:
1. C is clutching the M&M egg for dear life. She takes after me in her love of chocolate.
2. C's knees are muddy from running across the grass outside of church today.
3. The size of MJ's dress is 9 months.
4. I didn't ask Claire to hug her sister like she is. And MJ is staring at C completely enamored in every other picture I took.

In the midst of a great church service, eating yummy food, and visiting with family, there were some AMAZING conversations had in the Martin household today.

Mama: "Claire, what does Jesus say?"
(Sidenote- I have NO idea why I asked her this.)
Claire: "Argh!!!"
Mama: "Jesus is a pirate?"
Claire: "Jesus is a pirate!!!!"
Mama to Daddy: "She's totally going to say that in nursery today."

Claire: "I like Jesus."
Claire to her Aunt Amanda: "YOU should like Jesus." (while pointing her finger)
Jeremy: "Yes, we talked about the Great Commission last week."
(No, we really didn't.)

What Claire Sleeps With

2011-04-13T22:32:00.002-05:00

*I had started to feel like Claire was getting too crowded in her bed and then I read a blog post by my friend, Cary, that made me feel better today.*

1. Her baby doll. She's has 3 almost identical ones but there is one in particular that she sleeps with. Side note, if you ask any of her doll's names, she says, "Mary Jane."
2. A rubber ducky. Yes, the small, plastic kind.
3. Her frog lovie
4. A stuffed bee
5. Her skunk
6. A Wocket (as in the Wocket in my Closet)
7. Curious George
8. 3 blankets (the number of blankets often changes but apparently she has 3 favorites right now)

And every night, Claire has to tuck in the baby doll and duck next to her. I'm actually not sure if she'd even miss the rest of her "friends" but they stay in the bed anyway. We're not messing with her bed time routine to try it out. :)

Claire's new friend

2011-04-11T16:23:00.002-05:00

Claire calls our sweet, six year old neighbor, Larry.

Her name is really Katia.

Thankful for our new playset and getting to know our neighbors better!

Hilarious.

2011-04-09T21:08:00.001-05:00

As my husband just pointed out, I'm way behind on this.

But that's beside the point.

Go watch this video NOW!

(Even if you've already seen it, aren't you glad I reminded you of it?)

Sweet MJ

2011-04-07T21:57:00.003-05:00

Sweet Mary Jane fell asleep on the floor,
in the middle of playing,
while sucking her thumb.

I just can't get enough of my squishy, beautiful girl!!

(Side note, the girl tends to fall asleep anywhere!)

Superheros

2011-04-07T21:32:00.004-05:00

Claire got this superhero a while back.

She says that he's Daddy when the REAL Daddy is at work.

Today she also told me that Daddy is Batman.

It makes me laugh and makes my heart feel full.

Claire doesn't understand who Batman is or what a superhero is.

BUT I can tell that she already believes, at two years old, that her Daddy is one of the greatest people on earth. (her mama being the other one!) She already looks at him like he has every answer and can do anything. Like every little girl SHOULD view her Daddy. I love that she always wants him to look at her and admire her.

Claire's Daddy loves her very well.
My girls are so incredibly blessed.

It's also worth noting that my own Dad has been gone four years now, in March. How can it be that long? He would love these little girls so very much. And they would adore him.

As we grow up, we learn that even superheros have faults.

After all, they are human.

But the good Daddies have superhero powers that outweigh their faults.

I'm married to one of the good ones.

And my Dad was one of the good ones.

And I still think of my Dad as a man who could do anything and got things done.
Pretty great superhero qualities.

Popcorn picnic

2011-04-05T21:14:00.002-05:00

This afternoon Claire and I had a "popcorn picnic" in the backyard while Jeremy and his Dad worked on the playset.

First off, our popcorn picnic consisted of a blanket and giant bowl of popcorn. Claire thought this was awesome.

Second side note, the playset is almost done and awesome! Claire calls it her castle. Her castle is now what I see from my kitchen sink. I love it and am excited to have this fun thing for the girls!

During our picnic, Claire tried desperately to keep the whole bowl of popcorn for herself. She, very convincingly, told me over and over that:

"Jack is too little for popcorn." (Jack is our 85 lb dog)

"Mama, it's too hot for you."

If she weren't so darn cute....

Pictures! (finally)

2011-03-31T10:25:00.004-05:00

My sister took all the pictures. Aren't they great?

I think the picture of MJ alone may be an all-time favorite.

I just want to kiss those big cheeks!!!!

These were all taken the week that Claire turned 2 years old and Mary Jane turned 4 months.

Breakfast/Devos

2011-03-29T13:36:00.002-05:00

Since Mary Jane arrived, Jeremy has pretty much been getting up with Claire every day. Mary Jane would often wake up to eat around 5 am and then give me a bit of a stretch of sleep so Jeremy would step in to be with Claire in the morning. Most mornings they share bowls of cereal. (Yes, they each start out with their own and then Claire tends to eat some of her Daddy's and/or feed him.)

This little morning tradition has evolved to them also reading their Bibles while they eat. We got Claire the Storybook Bible a while back and she LOVES it. So when Daddy started reading his, Claire got the idea to grab her own and they read together. I. Love. This.

I don't know if they do this every morning but it's been a lot of mornings lately. And it's encouraged me to read my own at some point in the day (usually in the morning too). It's such a different kind of encouragement when it comes as an example through your kids (and your spouse).

So thankful for my little family.

Mid-March Ramblings

2011-03-24T22:12:00.003-05:00

I've been trying to upload pictures for the last hour with no luck. I'll post pictures soon. I didn't want to wait any longer to post though... so here goes.

Last week Claire turned two years old and Mary Jane turned 4 months. So hard to believe! We celebrated at Larson Park on Saturday. Claire has asked for a cupcake every day since.

I took both girls to the doctor today. Claire weighs 26.5 pounds and her sister weighed in at 17.5 pounds! Claire is in the 50% and MJ is around 75% (or close to that). I'm taking bets on when they catch up to each other. :) The girls really are a combination of the two of us. Jeremy and I have made it a past time to claim each little detail as a part of us. For example, Claire totally has Jeremy's hands and Mary Jane has mine. I absolutely love that. Also, the doctor (whom we LOVE) was very impressed with Claire's verbal skills. She told us that Claire is about 6 months ahead developmentally!

My garden is coming along! It's been just over a week and a half. I've moved my seedlings over to cups of soil to give them nutrients. They're loving the soil and light in the sun room. They'll be ready to plant soon. Now if it would just stop freezing outside....

Garden: Day 1

2011-03-14T21:36:00.003-05:00

Here is the beginning of my garden.
I started all of my seeds over the weekend.
Don't they look nice?

I'm so excited to have a garden.
My Mom has always had a garden and I hope to have the same memories with my kiddos.

I'm attempting to plant:
peas, grape tomatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos, cucumbers, spinach, lettuce, romaine, carrots, basil, cilantro, white onions, red onions, and garlic.

Ambitious? Yes.
Go big or go home. :)

The great wall

2011-03-11T20:11:00.003-06:00

BEFORE

AFTER!!!!

Please excuse the mess in both pictures.
I have a two year old.

My friend, Greta, came to my rescue and decorated this wall for me.

I. LOVE. it.

It's all things I love and/or that are sentimental. And, even so, had written some of the things off because I couldn't make it work myself.

The cell phone pictures don't do it justice. It looks awesome.

I'm too tired to blog about all the details of each thing... I'll do that soon.

By the way, have you entered the giveaway of Greta's blog???

Claire quotes from this week

2011-03-09T21:38:00.002-06:00

Mama: "Claire, you're going to turn into a fruit snack!"
Claire: "No, I Claire."

Mama: "Claire, please throw that in the trash."
Claire: "No."
Then she sits down on the stairs and says, "Timeout!"

Mama: "Claire, are you a girl?"
Claire: "No, I Claire!"

Tonight at bedtime, we were all sitting in the family room:
(fyi, no mention of bedtime had been made)
Claire: "Night night!" (as she walks to the stairs)
Daddy: "Want me to take you night night, Claire?"
Claire: "No, you stay!" with her arms out
By the time Claire got to the top of the stairs she decided she DID want Daddy to put her in bed instead of going on her own.

Great Giveaway!

2011-03-09T21:33:00.002-06:00

My good friend, Greta, is so amazing and SO creative.

You would really like her if you met her. (assuming you don't already know her and are friends with her)

Anyway, check out her blog for a GIVEAWAY TODAY!

I know it's late.

Due to my laziness, I've delayed you from entering.

I apologize.

Check it out. And check out her etsy site. You will love it.

We love ChickFila

2011-02-25T13:27:00.001-06:00

This morning I asked Claire what the ChickFila cow says.

Her immediate response:

"Eat more chicken!"

I'm so proud.

Picture Update

2011-02-24T22:13:00.003-06:00

Confession: I often leave Mary Jane in just a onesie so I can stare at her absolutely adorable legs. And those cheeks!!!!! Kind of makes me want to go wake her up...

Claire's ready for Spring training! Let's hope she likes baseball as much as she loves football. The girl LOVES watching football and playing with the football she had to have last weekend.

I painted Claire's toenails this week. Oh. my. gosh. I didn't think her little feet could get any cuter! Jeremy's a little weirded out by it but Claire likes to admire them and compare her matching toes with mine. I love it. Bring on the flip flops!!!!! (and warm weather)

Things I'm loving right now:

2011-02-23T22:04:00.002-06:00

1. This granola recipe. It's seriously the best granola I've ever eaten. It calls for more sugar than the recipe I used to use but I seriously won't use another recipe again. It's THAT GOOD. And I followed the directions and it baked perfectly. Usually I have to adjust the time or over bake. Make. This. Recipe.

2. Words with Friends. So fun to play with friends that I have all over the country that I don't get to see anymore.

3. How much Claire is talking. It's fun to have conversations with her.

4. Dance parties with both girls. So cute. Especially when Claire yells, "Dance party!"

5. Getting to know Mary Jane. She's such a sweetheart.

6. Mary Jane sleeping more at night. I'm feeling like a human being again. And she's so happy and smiley in the morning.

7. Finally picking out the playset we're getting for the backyard. SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS. I can't wait to have people over to play.

8. That Spring feels like it's just around the corner. Go away cold weather!

9. This sermon that Zack preached on Sunday. SO GOOD. (it's the 2/20/11 sermon)

10. Guacamole. I used to hate it. Then I started CRAVING it when I was pregnant with Mary Jane. Now I love it. Weird, huh? If anyone has any good recipes, please share. Right now, Trader Joe's is my supplier :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T21:12:00.002-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

And Happy 60th Birthday to my Mom!

Amy and Mom came in for a long weekend which has been really fun especially after a crazy week. We shopped, cooked, ate a lot, played with the kiddos, and had a great time. A much needed weekend for me.

Today Mom, Mary Jane, Claire, and I went to the zoo. Claire loves the penguins and monkeys. Today they put on quite the show for her. She also loved the bears and really loved riding the carousel. We followed it up with Steak n Shake. It was a fun way to spend Mom's birthday!

Also, the husband outdid himself and surprised me with a Kindle! I love it and was very surprised. Thanks, again, husband!!

Home sweet home

2011-02-09T19:32:00.003-06:00

I'm too tired to blog about the last few days right now but I will soon.

I'm thankful for a baby girl on the mend.

I'm thankful for meals waiting on us when we came home.

I'm thankful for my friends, near and far, who have loved us well.

I'm thankful for goodies to look forward to tomorrow.

I'm thankful that the husband kept the house clean just so I could relax when I got home. He loves his girls well and has taken such good care of Claire. (no surprise there)

I'm thankful to be home.

Things I've realized in the last 48 hours

2011-02-07T20:22:00.004-06:00

1. Insist on your child's iv be put in her foot if you're nursing. So much easier.

2. MoBap has some amazing nurses. Nurses who treat your kid like their own. Who take an extra minute to rock or sing to them.

3. Could the furniture be any more uncomfortable?

4. I really am my child's advocate and expert.

5. God knew that the new ChickFila would bring me some joy. I believe He opened it for me.

6. Hands down, I have the most amazing friends. Seriously. I hope you're as lucky. And I hope I'm a good friend to them.

7. I'm so thankful for my Droid to talk to my mom and sister and to distract me.

8. I have always admired my friend, Katie, and now I'm convinced she's a hero to her children. I can't begin to describe her strength and endurance. I do know it's rooted in her faith in Jesus.

9. My husband and I can do anything together. There are some things I'm just not strong enough to do. He stepped up. No surprise; he always does.

Operation "Give mama a break"

2011-02-02T14:09:00.002-06:00

Last weekend my sister, Amy, came to visit. I did not plan this but the weekend became focused on getting Mary Jane more used to being away from me. Amy actually tried to visit the two previous weekends but things kept getting in the way. I'm now convinced that the Lord knew I needed her this past weekend.

I won't give you all the boring details of the weekend. I'll give you the highlights: Amy, Jeremy, and I were all able to give her bottles, MJ stayed with Amy a few hours alone and slept almost the whole time, and both Amy and Jeremy were able to get her to calm down.

THIS IS HUGE!

I really want to go on a girls' trip this weekend and now I can. But most importantly, I feel like my little girl and I have turned a corner. And I'm one happy mama! I think it's a combination of trying to be persistent the last week or so, MJ getting bigger/older, and sweet friends praying. (Speaking of which, please pray this weekend goes smoothly!)

My girl still prefers me but now I have a little breathing room. Which makes me a better and happier mama. Thank you, Jesus!

And thank you to my sister and husband for loving me through the crazy fog. Gotta love having an infant....

Necklace Giveaway

2011-01-31T08:07:00.003-06:00

My friend, Greta, is doing a great giveaway on her blog-

you should definitely check it out here!!!!

She is really talented and you'll definitely want one of these necklaces. And she has super cute stuff on her etsy site.

Today's the last day of the giveaway so GO NOW!

My sweet pea

2011-01-26T20:23:00.002-06:00

Does anyone else see a resemblance?

MJ and me at 9 and a 1/2 weeks

2011-01-23T13:39:00.004-06:00

So Mary Jane started out being okay with taking a bottle.

Now she is not.

Much to my despair. Much to my desire to feel a little freedom.

I've been frustrated and discouraged. I've been referring to Mary Jane (lovingly) as my little leech.

I love the girl. I mean, she's so stinkin' cute and has the sweetest smile. You can't help but smile when she does.

But I've been annoyed.

This morning at church I stepped out to feed her and listen to the sermon in the hallway. My good friend, Greta, sat down with me and asked how things were going and how it went when I left MJ with Jeremy for a few hours last night. I told her how Mary Jane cried and screamed the ENTIRE time except for the two twenty minute intervals in which she just passed out from being tired. (I was gone over 3 hours. My husband is a saint.)

Greta then asked, "Do you think she just wanted you?"

Yes, I think she's right. I started thinking that last night. I feel like it's less about the bottles and more about my little girl needing her mama. She wasn't starving when I got home; she had taken part of a bottle. But when Jeremy handed her to me, she immediately relaxed and fell asleep.

Greta shared her similar experience with her daughter, Ruby. I felt like the Lord was speaking some truth into my heart. I selfishly want my freedom back. But what is it that I really want back? Yes, I know it's okay for me to be tired and not love this BUT, at the same time, I have a little baby girl who wants me and just needs me. And it's probably going to only be for a few fleeting months.

I survived my husband's year long deployment to Iraq. I can handle a few months. Seriously.

By the time I left church, I felt more encouraged. My friend, Terri, reminded me a week or so ago that being a parent is "sacred work". God's entrusted these two little girls to me, to care for and love. And to ENJOY.

And sometimes it feels like the enjoyment part is the hardest part. And it should be the most fun. I don't want to live in "survival mode" EVERY SINGLE DAY. (Sure, I'm going to have those days and moments, of course. I've got two kids under the age of two.)

I really do love being a mom. And I love my girls. I love being home with them, playing with Claire and cuddling Mary Jane. I love seeing them already interact. I love teaching Claire new things and seeing Mary Jane's little personality come out. I love making our house feel like our home.

Anyway, I'm grateful for my friend and that she was willing to spend a few minutes with me today. I needed a heart adjustment even though I didn't realize it. I'm SO BLESSED to have friends with kids.

It really does take a village. Or, in my case, friends and a great church. And daily text messages to my mom and sister. :)

By the way, please take a close look at Mary Jane's crazy hair in this picture!

Sleep training

2011-01-19T13:29:00.002-06:00

Top priorities:

For MJ to sleep through the night.

For the girls to nap at the same time.

Girls, y'all are killing me!!!!!

No, I'm not sleep training as MJ's too young still.

Just day dreaming....

Mary Jane is 9 weeks today!

2011-01-18T13:44:00.004-06:00

Mary Jane Grace at 8 weeks (last Tuesday):

Our sweet Mary Jane weighed in at 12 lbs, 8oz at the doctor this last week! After much discussion, the doctor (whom we love) put her on some antibiotics. The poor girl has been congested for as long as I remember- I sadly told the doctor that I feel like she's been sick since birth. Since Mary Jane had developed a pretty bad cough, we went with the meds. We were hesitant because it was just congestion- no infections- and she is also showing signs of acid reflux.

The verdict: I'm SO HAPPY we went with the antibiotics!!!! My little girl is actually starting to sleep at night, she's not as congested, and I'm starting to see a little personality come out!

Mary Jane loves her big sister. She watches Claire and smiles at her. They really love each other; it's very sweet. MJ has the sweetest little smile. All of which helps right now since I'm a bit frustrated that she's refusing a bottle right now!!!

***By the way, this picture was taken over a week ago... maybe 2... who knows!!! I'll figure it out later :)

What I have to look forward to

2011-01-13T13:49:00.002-06:00

Borrowed from my good friend, Cary.

And in no particular order.

1. My sister visiting this weekend. (hopefully!)
2. My mom and sister coming back to visit in February to celebrate my Mom's 60th birthday!
3. Girls weekend in February
4. Mary Jane sleeping more at night. (she will, right?!? yes, I'm at that stage...)
5. Planning a weekend away for me and the husband in a few months.
6. The warmer months... MJ being a bit bigger... less sickness.... fresh fruit.... going outside...
7. Getting a playset for our backyard.
8. Going back to work.

Buzz?

2011-01-05T15:27:00.000-06:00

"Claire, what does a bee say?"

"Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!"

Pictures of the girls to come soon...

More Claire-speak

2011-01-02T16:27:00.002-06:00

"muppins"=muffins
"copies"=coffee
"moopies"=smoothie

Those are some of my current favorites.

The girl doesn't stop talking these days!!! It's fun to have conversations with her now.

Santa!!!

2010-12-22T10:58:00.002-06:00

Claire liked Santa from far away-
but not up close.
So Mama got to sit with Santa too. :)

Side note: this is the Santa at West Co Mall. He is so great!!!
I asked him about the youngest baby he's taken a picture with and he told me that recently he took a picture with a 3 DAY OLD!!! The parents left the hospital and stopped by the mall on the way home to have their new baby's picture taken with Santa.

Miss Independent

2010-12-19T14:01:00.003-06:00

Claire has decided to potty train herself.

Yes, you read that correctly.

And, no, she's not even two years old.

And, yes, I have a one month old to care for still.

We've been talking to Claire about using the potty for about two weeks now because she had started to act interested. Well, Friday night Claire DEMANDED to use it. Like threw a fit when we wouldn't let her at first. So Jeremy sat her on the big potty. She was not happy to get off but we promised to buy her her very own the next day. (I'm pretty sure Jeremy said that when Claire saw it in the store, she started to take off her pants and diaper.)

We bought her a potty and Claire was OVERJOYED to sit on it. AND WENT TWICE before we took her off. What in the WORLD??? So now she asks to use it often and we spend a lot of time hanging out on it. She hasn't used it since but you would think it was the greatest gift she's ever been given. Other than the Cozy Coupe car.

I'll be honest. I was even more overwhelmed and SAD by this development- for ALL SELFISH reasons. I'm trying to juggle a toddler and a one month old- I DON'T NEED AN ADDITION TO THIS ADJUSTMENT! However, after a few minutes, I realized this may really be a blessing: we're already pretty homebound and I need to be thankful that she's so willing and interested. So I'm okay with it now and we're rolling with it.

What I'm thankful for TODAY:

2010-12-17T13:39:00.002-06:00

1. My husband. I would have run screaming from this house by now if it weren't for him.
2. Two healthy little girls.
3. That I'm not pregnant anymore. It's amazing how good I feel, physically. I got used to feeling really crappy.
4. That my mom and sister will visit again in a few weeks.
5. That I got two extra, SOLID hours of sleep this morning and a good shower (meaning not running through as fast as possible with Claire saying, "Mama?!" a million times outside the door.)
6. For another friend bringing dinner to us tonight. Delivered meals from so many friends have been such a HUGE and wonderful blessing.
7. Friends who actively love me. AKA: phone calls, emails, texts, visits, presents, meals, and invitations to play. Thank you for reminding me that I'm a functioning member of society.
8. It's FRIDAY!!!!

Happy 4 week Birthday, MJ!

2010-12-14T20:35:00.002-06:00

Statements I made today, that I've probably never said, and that are probably only the tip of the iceberg:
1. Claire, please don't spit on your sister.
2. Claire, please don't draw on Mama's phone with your toothbrush.
3. Claire, your sister doesn't have teeth. Let's not try to brush them.
4. Claire, Mary Jane doesn't eat chips.

Things Claire is saying lately that totally melt my heart:
1. Hold you, Mama (pick me up)
2. Hold it!!!! (I want to hold MJ! This is usually said along with her patting her lap.)
3. Yardins! (The Backyardigans- her favorite show)
4. NOSE!!! (snow)
5. Yights! (Christmas lights)
6. Merry Christmas
7. Baby Jesus

Claire has also gotten a bit bossy when it comes to Mary Jane. Throughout the morning she would say, "Baby hungry!" and "Baby night-night". She's transitioning from being horribly jealous of MJ to wanting to take care of her and being concerned. It's very sweet.

Things you will always find in our kitchen

2010-12-05T19:10:00.001-06:00

1. Sweet Baby Ray's BQ sauce
2. Peter Pan peanut butter
3. sweet tea in the fridge
4. York peppermint patties in the freezer
5. frozen peas
6. string cheese
7. milk (skim and whole)
8. cereal bars
9. Rold Gold tiny twist pretzels
10. coffee
11. baby carrots

Picture update

2010-11-28T14:21:00.004-06:00

"Lights!"
Claire says this a lot. Very cute.

Mary Jane already defending herself from Claire.
Claire loves to "help" change MJ.

How Mary Jane spent the 1st couple days at home:
wrapped in a bili-blanket.
AKA: our Cylon baby

I think Claire was so excited for MJ to sit in the bouncy seat-
which is what she uses as her doll bed.
This was also the 1st time I put MJ down at C's level.
They both survived :)

What I'm thankful for... in no particular order

2010-11-25T19:34:00.001-06:00

1. Being redeemed in Christ
2. my two sweet daughters- they're unbelievable to me
3. Jeremy- I couldn't imagine a better husband for me
4. My family in town for Thanksgiving
5. Good health for me and my family
6. a job I love
7. a church I love
8. friends who really are amazing
9. sleep- even though I don't get a lot of it there days
10. a warm house

One week old

2010-11-23T12:59:00.002-06:00

Mary Jane's officially one week old!!! We're starting to settle in and things are starting to feel more normal. Claire loves to give MJ kisses and loves to watch her. Claire has also been playing better on her own and is a little bit more forgiving of MJ taking up a lot of her Mama's time. Eventually I'm going to have to figure out how to do housework in the midst of the craziness... but I'm so not worried about that right now!

Week 1 almost down

2010-11-22T08:31:00.003-06:00

Things I've learned this week-Things I had forgotten about newborns- Things I love right now:

1. Newborns sleep a lot
2. Newborns eat a lot
3. I'm going to have to get used to spit up in my hair if it's long
4. Claire would kiss MJ all day long if we let her
5. Claire has moved from being horribly jealous to being obsessed by her sister
6. Claire has stopped calling Mary Jane, "Emma" for the most part
7. Claire has learned to say, "Bless you" when you sneeze
8. When Claire burps, she says, "burp" right after
9. Claire rocks her baby doll and sings, "Rocky, rocky, rocky..." over and over again. She's now attempting that with MJ in her bouncy seat...
10. Mary Jane is such a cuddly little girl... I love it. And I love it that Claire is wanting to cuddle now more because of that!

Seriously?!

2010-11-19T20:26:00.003-06:00

This may have been one of the craziest experiences ever. Because it was so normal.

On Monday I went to the doctor. She told me that MJ had dropped very low and that she thought I would go into labor in a week or two.

At 2am THAT NIGHT my water broke. Yes, like in the movies. I woke up Jeremy and we headed to the hospital. It was that simple.

13 hours later, we met our sweet, little Mary Jane. Everything was so textbook and simple. COMPLETELY different from the days leading up to meeting Claire. I'm thankful for my sweet girls, and for the great and opposite birth stories I have with each.

Btw, MJ is "glowing" in the first picture from a bili-blanket we had for about 24 hours because she's a little bit jaundice. She gets checked again in the morning and, hopefully, it won't be an issue anymore!

Things that have made me laugh in the last couple of days...

2010-11-15T11:48:00.003-06:00

1. Pulling up to a drive-thru yesterday to pick up lunch and Claire yelling, "Coke!" I've spent way too much money on fountain cokes from McDonald's during this pregnancy!

2. Claire has suddenly taken to ordering around Jack and Diane. "No, Jack!" "Go away, Jack!" "No, Di!" "Stay away!" Maybe I should watch my tone with the pets....

3. For a few nights in a row, Claire has ASKED to go to bed. Like at 6:30pm.

4. When Claire wants both me and Jeremy it turns into one word, "MommyDada."

5. I bought Claire a toy umbrella stroller for her doll. She has now taken to sitting in it, scooting around the house, and sitting in it to draw on her chalk table.

6. She loves dumping out her blocks and yelling, "Boom!"

7, Claire and Jeremy fist bump and she says, "Dynomite!" in her cute little Claire voice.

8. Claire loves ice. She always wants water with ice and will insist on in until she can hear it in her cup.

9. When Claire says, "Book," it kind of sounds like she's German.

10. Claire would eat pretzels all day long if I let her.

11. She LOVES to "dip" her food. She loves ketchup, BQ sauce, honey mustard, hummus, it doesn't matter. It's all about the process.

Long day...

2010-11-12T13:13:00.002-06:00

I should have known first thing this morning that this would be a long day when Jeremy brought Claire down from her room, wrapped in a blanket, and said, "Guess who took off her pants and diaper in the middle of the night?"

Claire's been into everything today; thankfully we hung out at the Coalier's house all morning to break up the day and hang out with our friends. I'm grateful for friends that I can hang out with and just BE, especially since I'm 36 weeks pregnant and am not feeling great.

How cute are the girls in this picture??

There's no place like home

2010-11-10T21:25:00.002-06:00

Home. I'm glad to be sitting on my couch, watching the CMA awards with the husband playing video games in the same room and the kiddo upstairs asleep. (The same kiddo who said, "Night-night" at 6:30pm and proceeded to take herself upstairs to bed.)

Here's the run-down of this week so far:
on Monday I went to the doctor for a check-up. My blood pressure was up (150/100) and didn't go down after I laid down for a bit. The doctor sent me upstairs to the labor and delivery floor to get checked out and immediate blood work. Contractions got closer together and I was in a bit of pain. I really hadn't felt good the past couple of days. The doctor was able to stop the contractions and keep me from progressing any further into labor with a Tributelene (sp?) shot. A shot that makes your heart race and makes you shaky for about an hour. I was then admitted into the hospital to figure out what was up with the pain I felt. After another day and half in the hospital, we found out my gall bladder is inflamed. And all the JUNK I've been eating this pregnancy has not helped.

I got to go home this afternoon with orders to stop working, stay on bed rest, and stay away from super fatty foods.

Mary Jane is great. All week she's had a super strong heart beat and hasn't slowed down her movement.

So now I'm at home, grateful to be here and continue the pregnancy. I'm still in some pain which is really uncomfortable but I'll live. I'm more annoyed by the fact that my throat is starting to hurt...

Randomness

2010-11-05T13:15:00.002-05:00

1. This week Claire has started using "please" and "thank you" appropriately. Some times. And it sounds more like "peas" and "tank you". I feel like just hearing those words has made my life more enjoyable.

2. I'm 35 weeks pregnant and MJ will be here in 4 weeks.

3. Claire is obsessed with playing with her baby doll and doll stroller.

4. Claire likes her new room and has been sleeping well in it.

5. I'm now only eating McDonald's once a week... the craving is subsiding.

6. Claire loves playing with her legos, toy cars, and play kitchen.

7. Claire has also learning the word "mine" which makes me want to rip my hair out. Maybe that's why I'm so grateful for #1.

8. Claire constantly says the names "Emma, George, JJ, and Amy". Over and over again. Every child her age or younger is "Emma". I think she likes the way all those names sound. Of course, she constantly says "mama and dada" as well. Did I mention over and over again?

9. When Claire hears music she loves dancing to it.

10. I'm growing more and more uncomfortable every day and am ready to meet MJ! Thankful Claire is a fun distraction. (most of the time)

Claire's little sister

2010-11-03T09:01:00.002-05:00

When Claire says, "MaryJane," it sounds more like, "My-Jane-a."

How cute is that?

I love technology

2010-11-01T23:06:00.003-05:00

This is one of Claire's favorite past times right now:
watching YouTube videos with her Daddy.
She really loves Muppets videos and they watch some music videos.
I think Claire just likes cuddling up and doing something her Dad's doing.
Could those giant headphones be any cuter?

Oh and apparently Claire has picked up on my phone obsession.
She picks it up and pretends to swipe her finger across it.
I really love my new toy but I need to stop using it so much in front of her!

My Ode to Peach Rings

2010-11-01T10:17:00.002-05:00

I have been obsessed with this candy during my entire pregnancy. At any given time, for a few months, you would find it in my bag or house. Seriously. It's been one of my strongest cravings, along with Coke. They remind me of my friend, Rachel, who has always had a love for them. I've always liked them but this pregnancy has brought on a constant craving. In fact, I'm going to have to stop by the store at some point today...

It's amazing that I passed my glucose test a few weeks ago.

Also, this post is dedicated to my good friend, Greta, who has insisted that I document the randomness of this craving :)

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-30T21:30:00.004-05:00

Happy Halloween!

We love Halloween around here. Jeremy has invested a ton of time and energy (and money) into making it great- and I love that about him. He's very creative and enjoys this time of year so much.

However, the Halloween party is definitely a 2 day ordeal. It takes one entire day to set up. Then you stay up super late having fun (p.s. 2am is way too late for a 34 week pregnant girl. I definitely shouldn't have had a coke at 7pm that kept me up). The next day is spent sleeping in a bit and taking it all back down. And it really does seem to take 2 solid days.

I'm not complaining though. I do think it's worth it. Remnants of the night before also crack me up: a giant mustache, gray tufts of hair from a costume, green finger prints, spider webs in weird places... I know people had a great time and it's fun to remember the effort folks put into their own costumes to also invest in our party.

If you didn't come this year, we hope you join us next year. You better start thinking up a way to beat "the Admiral's" costume from this year. :)

Wild child

2010-10-28T09:04:00.002-05:00

It's 8:45 am. Claire just took off her own pjs. I changed her diaper. She then took said diaper off, ran through the house, literally dodging me (like crawling and jumping away from my pregnant self), and climbed on to the kitchen table to dance around, naked.

I have a picture, so you can ask me about it sometime, but I'm not posting it here.

I love mornings at home. (I'm not being sarcastic)

Do-over

2010-10-26T10:20:00.002-05:00

Can I please have a do-over this morning?

Claire has entered the "mine!"-tantrum-"no!"-stage. I do not love it. We discovered that time-outs actually work for her and calm her down. This morning she was so crazy that I put her down for a nap- and she fell asleep immediately. After sleeping 12 hours straight last night. (I'm not complaining about this sleep, trust me!!!)

On top of feeling very pregnant this week, my patience is at an all-time low. I'm tired of everything. My back is killing me. Basically, I'm your typical 33 1/2 week pregnant girl who is chasing after a toddler.

So my do-over will start after Claire wakes up from her nap this morning and I get a shower. Maybe a lunch date with my girl....

My love-hate relationship with allrecipes.com

2010-10-24T20:17:00.002-05:00

One of my biggest pet peeves right now:

People who rate recipes 5 stars on allrecipes.com but they basically re-write the recipe in their review. People, you made up a new recipe with your 15 changes; don't rate the original!

Thanks :)

Hanging in there...

2010-10-24T14:13:00.002-05:00

So I'm 33 weeks pregnant. Crazy! It's really weird to think about because I was 33 weeks pregnant when I got sick with Claire. I went into the hospital at 33 1/2 weeks and delivered her at exactly 34 weeks. So far so good this time around though! I'm going to the doctor every week just to make sure everything is okay with me. And I'm actually resting and taking good care of myself. Really, I am. I'm learning a lot and I'm enjoying Claire so much. And I'm not anxious about HELLP coming back; I can't stop it and the Lord will take care of us.

With that said, if you feel compelled to pray for Mary Jane and I, I would be appreciative. I would really love to meet her when she's full-term and no earlier :)

Mom's new toy

2010-10-20T10:49:00.003-05:00

I am now officially the owner of a new Droid. I LOVE it!

My old phone was 2 1/2 years old and not working well. My computer is working again (thank you husband and John!) but the battery life stinks and it's getting up there as well.

The husband did some research and took me to the Verizon store yesterday to pick out a shiny new toy. THANK YOU!!!

Btw, I might be a little obsessed. I'm pretty sure I had 3 or 4 separate dreams about my new phone last night.

New Fall Fave

2010-10-14T13:43:00.000-05:00

My girl loves a whole apple.
Minus the skin, please.

Little Mama

2010-10-12T20:35:00.004-05:00

Claire's going to be a great big sister. She has already had practice over at the Peel's with baby Emma. Jill has taught her how to be "gentle" with her baby girl and has even let Claire give Emma a bottle! I'm grateful for such a great friend who also cares for my girl one day a week.

Claire has also been practicing at home. A few months ago I showed Claire how to give her doll a bottle and she's been doing it ever since. Then about a month ago I swaddled her doll and we instantly had a new game. Yesterday, I watched Claire climb her changing table, doll in tow. Claire laid her doll down and pretended to change her diaper pulling out a wipe and everything. No lie. I was totally floored!!!

Well, tonight I realized she had gotten awfully quiet in her room. I walked in to find her tucking her doll in to sleep in the bouncy seat. Claire was putting covers around her and saying, "Night night." It was absolutely adorable. I managed to get a pretty good picture as she played next to her "sleeping" baby before Claire got tucked in herself.

Echo Valley Retreat

2010-10-11T11:48:00.004-05:00

Two weekends ago Jeremy went on our church's Men's Retreat. Our House Group all (well almost all) went down the second night and met up with our guys when the retreat was over. We had a great time! It was a really nice place outside of Cuba, MO in the middle of nowhere. Claire loved wandering around and watching all of the kids.

She really liked sitting on the two big tractors. Claire loves anything that she can pretend to drive these days.

We're still here...

2010-10-10T19:59:00.003-05:00

I'm 31 weeks pregnant. That's my excuse for not blogging.

Here's what's been happening in the Martin household:

1. I'm still nesting like crazy. It's rubbed off on the husband. We've cleaned out a ton of stuff from our house and it's really awesome. We still have a bit of work to do in Claire's room, though, before we move her.

2. Claire said, "Amy," really well this weekend and even called out her name when Amy and Jeremy came back from an errand. So cute. The "Aunt" part throws her off but this is a good start.

3. Speaking of Claire talking, it's ridiculous how much she is saying. I really love it.

4. Claire's going to be a ladybug for Halloween. I had to hide the skirt that goes to her costume because she was so excited about it.

5. We're slowly getting ready for our Halloween party. We would love for you to come, let us know if we forgot to send you an evite. All are welcome.

6. I'm going to the doctor every week now to have my blood work checked in order to catch HELLP syndrome as fast as possible if it decides to come back. Everything is good so far!

7. I really love my job. I love that I get to do that and be at home majority of the time. I'm really thankful.

8. Speaking of thankful, I'm grateful to have a supportive and helpful husband. He told me last night that I needed to be really lazy for the duration of this pregnancy to take care of myself. Um, okay. :)

9. Mary Jane is an active little baby. Some folks have told me that their active babies during pregnancy have turned into very chill babies after they're born. Praying for that!

10. Apparently, I'm suddenly "showing" a lot! Every time I turned around today someone commented on my belly or asked my due date. It doesn't bother me one bit.

Oh, Claire....

2010-10-02T08:00:00.001-05:00

My favorite new thing Claire is doing:
Attempting to wink. It's the most adorable thing ever. She squints both eyes and kind of turns her head. We'll get a video ASAP.

My least favorite thing Claire is doing:
Getting angry if you even glance at her while she eats. She will tell you "no" and want you to turn away. This isn't an "all the time" thing but she's doing it a lot.

Shoes

2010-09-28T21:16:00.003-05:00

My friend, Greta, brought Claire a whole bag of shoes that her girls have outgrown. As you can see from the pictures, Claire loved it! Thanks, girls!!!

Nesting, nesting, nesting

2010-09-26T13:48:00.003-05:00

It's out of control.

And I have very little energy and need to rest.

This is not a good combination!

My sweet husband keeps asking what he can do to help.

But I'm learning that "nesting" is unique in that you really just want to do it all yourself. It's not enough for someone else to do it.

Oh, third trimester, you are not my friend these days.

On a good note, though, I haven't had contractions like I did last weekend and I'm feeling pretty good other than completely exhausted. My check-ups are good and Mary-Jane (and I) are growing!

6 whole years

2010-09-25T08:59:00.004-05:00

Two of the funniest conversations I've had in awhile:

Texting between my BFF Cami and I on Tuesday:
Me: I just found out that Jeremy has never heard the song "You never even called me by my name" by David Allen Coe. I even sang part of it for him.
Cami: How did you marry him? Didn't he live in Georgia for a while?
Me: Yeah, I can't believe it. I think you have to know every word of it before you graduate from high school.
Cami: I'm pretty sure it's part of the driving test.

Talking to Jeremy last night. He mentioned "Voltron":
Me: What's Voltron?
Jeremy: You're kidding me. (I think his heart stopped for a minute)
Me: Um, no.
Jeremy: How did I marry you?!
And then he went into a lengthy description that included singing the the theme song, and I still had no recollection. There was also mention that my lack of knowledge was from not having a brother, therefore, Claire and MJ would need more siblings.

There are a million reasons why I'm thankful to be married to Jeremy, despite our differences in music and cartoons.

Happy 6 year Anniversary, husband! You're a great husband and dad, and I love you!
Here's to lots more years of laughing.

The Joy of Cooking

2010-09-20T21:19:00.003-05:00

This weekend I made this recipe from allrecipes.com. The meatballs turned out great and I'll be adding it to my recipebook!

My pregnant-self did make a few unintentional changes: I totally forgot the onion and I didn't have Italian seasoning. And I realized I only had plain bread crumbs. I just threw in some basil thinking that might help. :)

I was cooking for a few kiddos so I didn't add as much of the red pepper flakes, either.

I baked them on a rack that I put inside of a jelly roll pan to drain the grease since I didn't use the leanest ground beef (90/10 just isn't as good in meatloaf or meatballs if you ask me). Worked out great. And I doubled the recipe. I think I would do that again even if I wasn't just cooking for my family; I bet they would freeze really well.

1 pound extra lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 small onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 dash hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot®), or to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup skim milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place the beef into a mixing bowl, and season with salt, onion, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, oregano, red pepper flakes, hot pepper sauce, and Worcestershire sauce; mix well. Add the milk, Parmesan cheese, and bread crumbs. Mix until evenly blended, then form into 1 1/2-inch meatballs, and place onto a baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes.

Enjoy!