double stroller

We have most of things that we will be needing for the baby as far as baby gear goes. But one of the things that I would really like this time is a double stroller. I use Macy's stroller alot and she's awesome in it. The best thing is we really didn't even buy them. Her umbrella stroller was a gift and the travel system stroller we bought with an infant carrier (that we didn't end up using) from a friend for like $30 or something. Basically we didn't invest in a nice stroller. Now that I'll have two in tow I need a double stroller.

And I've looked and looked at options. There are some really nice strollers out there, but they are very expensive! There is NO WAY I can justify spending $600 on a stroller. No way. My budget is around $200.

And I found this one.

It's a Kolcraft Contours Options Tandem Stroller, and the thing I love about it is that the top baby closest to me can be an infant seat, facing me, and the lower front seat can be Macy Grace. There are many options this stroller works, including facing each other, how fun!

One thing I don't care for about the stroller is there are not cup holders or trays for the babies. Not a BIG deal, but I will still look around and if I can't find one with that option, I think we'll go with this one.

If you see a stroller you think I'll love, send me the link!

today

All of this simply because I'm enjoying the small things these days.

I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast and made extra icing for them, and they were good :)

Here are a few pics of Macy Grace that I've taken over the last few months and because it's Macy just being, well, uh, Macy, I love them. I took them with my cellphone so the quality is basically non-existent, but they are memories.



























And my most favorite

Layla Grace

"Today I choose to love deeper, hug tighter, and give more. To appreciate life's smallest gift and enjoy them. Today is a gift."

That is how I started my morning with my facebook post. And there'a a reason for it.

I went to bed last night with blood shot eyes and tears streaming down my face and all I wanted to do was run into Macy's room and grab her and hold her. I didn't, because she would wake up and would hate me for it.

I'm a glutten for punishment. I read these terrible and yet beautiful stories that mom's write about either losing their children or raising children with uncurable diseases. And it breaks me. Someone recently told me I was crazy. They avoid those stories and will not read them. And while it doesn't make me warm and fuzzy, it does give me some wild appreciation for what I do have.

I have a healthy child and a healthy pregnancy. I don't spend my days thinking this could be my daughter's last day on earth. And while an accident could happen and life could be taken immediately, in my opinion it is totally different then watching your child die and knowing that they are in pain.

Layla Grace is no different. Her mom has alot of faith, but I don't care how much faith you have or trust in God; it doesn't matter if you believe all things work together for good and that somehow, someway God is orchestrating some beautiful symphony, the fact that a human being, a MOTHER is losing her child is devasting to me.

There is nothing I have done to deserve Macy Grace. There is nothing I have accomplished that has allowed me to conceive peanut and so far carry this baby with ZERO problems. Nothing. I am a normal human. And so are these parents who loose their children, their babies. It is only by the goodness of My God that I have what I have. And something I will never understand, but it is also my same God that allows people to die. And it doesn't seem fair. And from a human perspective it isn't fair. Honestly, I don't know that I can say that my some God perspective it is fair. But I know God's love just the same. And He's the rock. And He loves us.

So, why do I read these stories. And why do I put them out here for you to read? Perspective. It creates in me a compassion I wouldn't have otherwise. It reminds me to love today. To love deeper. To hug tighter. To be more patient with Macy Grace. To enjoy her. To laugh more. It reminds me to pray for others and be mindful of the hurts in those around me. It reminds me that Macy Grace is a gift and this baby is a gift. I need to laugh more with her and cherish every single day and thing she does. I don't need to get annoyed when she grabs my hands to play patycake or peek-a-BAH!. When she just wants me to cuddle and hold her while she drinks her afternoon juice after her nap and I have 'things' to do, I need to savor the moment. I just never, ever know what could happen tomorrow. None of us do.

Go over and read Layla's story - it'll change you.

Follow her on twitter at laylagrace

Also, become a fan on facebook of rufflebutts it's such a cute business and they are donating $1 for every fan to LaylaGrace's med bills. So go fan them!

Become a fan

I'll write a more detailed post tomorrow but in the mean time please go to facebook and become a fan of RuffleButts. You can go to my wall and follow my post to RuffleButts. They are donating $1 tfor every fan to LaylaGrace.

10 on Tuesday

1. Did I just eat an entire sleeve of thin mint girl scout cookies? Why, yes, yes I did!

2. Have a I mentioned we are moving again? Ah....I sometimes just stop mentioning it because people think we're insane.

3. We are moving back to a house we bought 3 years ago back in 2007 that is old and has structure problems. It is a fairly large house and at least double the size of what we have now. It's just really outdated. We moved out of it because we were starting the renovation process and it wasn't going to be completed before I had Macy Grace. So, at about 3 months left to my pregnancy we bought this house and did a quick flip and have been living here since about 4 days before I had Macy. We are upsizing in size but downstepping in style. I'll deal with it though. This move will help us out dramatically financially at this time. Jeremy has been HARD at work fixing it up and should be ready to paint next week :)

4. The exciting thing is that it has massive amounts of storage :) Which of course makes me very very happy!

5. And lil love bug and peanut are sharing and I have been hard at work deciding how to decorate a girl's room and a peanut's room (with it being gender neutral since we don't know boy or girl!).

6. When we went to Amarillo, my hours of searching for the perfect colors, curtains, paint, and pillows for their room came to an end. It all spoke to me. And I couldn't be more pleased with it. I'm so excited and feel fabulous about what's to come.

7. I don't feel peanut move often. It's still early, 17.5 weeks, but with Macy I was feeling her like crazy now. I'm not worried but really want to start feeling peanut soon.

8. It snowed this past weekend. The weather was crazy. We had thunder, lightning, hail, and sleet along with rain, snow, fog, and freezing drizzle. It was wild. Now there is about an inch of snow on the ground and I'm so over it. Bring on the spring!!

9. I'm in love with this studio! I can just see my future :)

10. I have two very specific prayer requests that I don't feel I should mention at this time but if God leads you, will you please pray for my unspoken requests? Thank you.

clean.

My life feels so wonderful when everything is clean. Now, I'm not a clean freak. However, I love a clean house. And more so an organized house. Stuff makes me nervous. Clutter really bothers me. There are times I go over to friend's houses and it's so organized and clean, it actually makes me feel good and I'm assuming them too. Then I go over to friend's houses that are just, cluttered. And actually it makes me nervous. And I want to race home and completely reorganize my home and make it spik and span.

I grew up in a very clean home. Our bedrooms weren't always clean, but our house was. The dishes were always clean, the bathrooms nice and sparkly. They just were. Even during my mother's illness we had a 'picked up' home. We had chores and I hated them. My mother reminded me it was so that when I was grown and had my own home that I would know how to keep it clean. I told her I would hire a housekeeper! haha

When I got married I kept a semi-messy home. It wasn't horrible, but I didn't vaccuum or dust every week and I would allow the dishes and laundry to pile up. One thing I wanted before I had babies was to get a routine down and get on top of my housekeeping. Living with someone else is hard. And it does take effort to get on the same page and keep the house clean.

I'm no expert. I still struggle. But I'm thankful that in the time that I've had Macy Grace, I keep a much more organized and clean home. I still struggle mainly with laundry. I just can't get a system down. But I now LOVE a clean kitchen and bathroom. I feel so at peace if my kitchen is perfect and the bathroom is sparkly. And I am much more organized behind closed doors then ever before. My cabinets are very organized and I love it. I'm sure it's time to go back through them and reclean but I love the fact that the are under control. I can be messy on the outside but I know if you open my linen closet, I can tell you where everything is :)

With that said, I'm a purger. Major. I don't keep stuff just to keep it. I am sentimental to an extent but I'm willing to part with alot of things. I have a ways to go before everything is just how I want it, but I'm pleased with my progress. My theme for 2009 with simplicity. I wanted a simpler life. We downsized majorly in our space in 2009 and it was good for us. It really was.

So, today I'm back at it. Laundry. Cleaning. Organzing. I will conquer this!

Does anyone have a good system for laundry? I try to do at least a load a day, anyone have anything else to recommend? I'm open for suggestions :)

just blog.

That's what I heard from Miranda yesterday. She said peanut is going to be so left out. I don't blog as much as I did before. And she's right.

I get all these blog posts in my head, then WHAM!, something happens and I don't do it. I was starting to clean the kitchen today and decided, no I need to blog. So, here I am.

Yesterday, my friend Charity and I went down to Amarillo for a day trip. My sister in law Miranda was already there and decided we needed to meet up. Miranda took Macy for me so I could go to Motherhood Maternity and buying some snazzy skinny maternity jeans. Because, you know, if you where skinny jeans, you must be skinny! haha

I bought Miss Grace an Easter dress and some really cute clothes and shoes. And it hit me. I kinda hope peanut is a girl. Now, I really don't care. Truly I don't. But it would be so fun to reuse these clothes again because they are so darn cute! But boys are fun too. They like dinosaurs and rocket ships and monsters, how fun would that be?!? Too fun I say. But I do hope kinda it's a girl, but only because I already have one. Then it brings up the next question. Would I have any more babies after this one? You know, because alot of people now days only want two kiddos. And I don't have a definite answer on how many children I want, but I do love being a mom.

I use to dream of having about 5 biological children and adopting maybe two more. Yup. 5. And it gets crazier. I thought of my life with five wild, crazy, out of control, spikey-haired, boys. And a houseful of them at that. 5. Then when they were getting older like the oldest about ready to leave the house, J and I would fly over to China and bring back twin girls. Uh huh. That's how I pictured my life. And I don't really know why. I don't.

I'm a dreamer. And a planner. I think about the future. There are several things in my life that I would love to forget, I would give you nothing to go back to my childhood. Nothing. And I had a great home with loving parents, but there is no way I would ever want to redo it. And thank God I don't have to! J on the other hand said he wouldn't mind. But because I don't live in the past, I live in the future. The what will be. The what's to come. I always dreamt of being a mom. And now I'm living my dream. And I'm thinking of the next thing. Another baby. Another house. The future when lil love goes to school and I help her with her homework and teach her how to read. Going on her sports games with her and being that mom who is actively involved in my child's life. I think about these things. Often.

I think about my future house(s) and decorating and what would my dream house be like, and vacations I want to take. And yes, how many children I want. And I don't have the answer.

I will say at this point I feel I am too young to make any definite decision to cut off all possibility of having more children. Alot could happen between now and the end of my childbearing years. And it's really nothing I need to stress over now.

I guess it's natural that after someone has one baby people ask if they would like more, and my answer was always of course. So, I wonder how many will ask if I would like more children after this one. I'm sure some. And it makes me wonder how I will feel. Will it be of course? Because honestly, right now, it isn't of course. It's more like, I don't know.

i know why i don't blog anymore....

Google reader and my ipod touch. Seriously. I just grab my ipod and check my google reader and go about my day....never having to log in to my blog to check updates. Grrr. That must change.

I'm doing great. We had a good Valentines day, hope you did too. We truly didn't do much. We reserved a room in the bigger G City at a Holiday Inn Express and headed up there Monday for the night. We ate dinner at the Lonestar Steakhouse and that steak was delicious! Of course no trip is good without a stop at Dairy Queen, so we did that and headed back to the hotel where we took lil miss Grace swimming. Yes, we took her. It was a family overnight getaway and it was great. I took my camera but didn't want to take it down to the pool so I have no shots! I'll tell you though, she's uber cute in a swimsuit! Her chubby lil thighs just wiggling down the hallway was adorable. She walks so fast and its the cutest. She loved the water. Always has and I want to keep her around it so she doesn't develop a fear of swimming. I love to swim and we had a fun time. Saturday we ate their hot breakfast, dipped in the pool some more and ate lunch at Applebees off a Mother's Day Out coupon card for a free lunch for mom's :) We went to Home Depot, Sam's and Target. We really needed some time away. I'm so glad we went.

whoa, what a week!

It has been crazy!

Monday just after I finished my post I realized Macy was really sick. She had been sleeping for almost 5 hours and I knew instantly it was more than just the normal teething troubles infants endure.

Seems how we were just at the doctor a little over two weeks ago, I called. Hiedi (I love Macy's APRN!) definitely wanted to see her. At the time, I didn't feel Macy was running a high fever with only a 99.6 temp, and she's teething. Later, I discovered my thermometer is off by a good 1 degree! She really wasn't feeling good. She had a cough and runny nose, generally irritable and wheezing. Jeremy took her in that afternoon for her appointment and they called me concerned that she could have pneumonia. They went ahead and gave her an antibiotic shot of Rocephin to kick start the treatment. I met Jeremy at the hospital for blood draws and xrays. We waited in radiology together but he needed to get to work and it was just about 5 in the evening. They called us back and showed me the contraption that we would need to strap lil love into to get the xrays. At that point it dawned on me. I'm pregnant. I can't be in here while they do xrays!! I mention it to the tech and he definitely agreed and told me I could get her situated but would need to leave the room for the xrays. I call Jeremy back and asked if he could come back to stay with her, he couldn't get there fast enough, so I strapped her in and left her like this!







Of course I felt horrible hearing her cry for me and Jeremy, "Mammmmmmmaaaaa....daaaaaaadddddddyyyyyyy" but it was quick and as painless as could be!

During this process we realized her leg where they gave her the shot was swelling and I needed to contact the office immediately to find out what they gave her so we can watch the swelling. It was an allergic reaction to the Rocephin, which she has had several times. So, its unusual that she showed an allergic reaction to it.

The worst was yet. I don't enjoy pain, but I can handle needles. I don't faint or hyperventilate, but I don't like them. And watching my baby get poked and proded which she just plainly doesn't feel good and has had a rough time, why, gosh, it just hurts! The lab tech was extremely nice and only poked her once but fished for that vein for awhile before deciding, she just isn't a good candidate for blood drawing. She opted for a finger prick and we managed through it! Lil Macy was ready to go! She just cried and cried. The dr's office had given her a couple of suckers and she did not want to let those go. She didn't realize she could eat them but she would not let loose of those suckers! After she just wouldn't calm down, I opened a sucker and she was thrilled!

We made it home, I gave Macy some benedryl and the swelling went down pretty quickly. They called on Tuesday to let me know she doesn't have pneumonia but the croop. We are treating it with breathing treatments, an oral steriod, and antibiotic! We had a few more rough days, but by now, she's nowing SO much better!

We are very thankful.

I have been taking pictures of her just playing with her toys around the house and meant for that to be a post this week, but now I'm behind (again!) but I'm anxious to share her sweetness with ya'll soon!

16 week dr appt

Okay, I'm really wanting to start keeping track of all this better! I feel bad Macy has such a detailed pregnancy journal and peanut doesn't! I will not be that mom!

I had my 3rd dr's appt today and we were to hear the beautiful fluttering of peanut's heart once again. It is such a reassuring sound, that thump, thump every month =)

I have gained a total of 4lbs since the pregnancy and my blood pressure is normal. I really have no complaints. Nothing. I do feel more sore lower and like I'm always kicked in the crotch. I had some cramping this past week, but I think I just over did myself!

It took Dr. K almost 2 minutes to find the heartbeat of baby 2.0 and I was getting so nervous. But eventually he found it right up by my belly button and that swushing sound was beautiful! It was beating at a rapid 156bpm! My next appt is in 4 weeks and we'll get to see peanut via ultrasound. It's my favorite thing!

Quiz!

-How far along? 16 weeks!
-How big is baby? avacodo!
-Weight gain/loss? +4lbs
-Maternity clothes? some, not completely. I'm actually wearing a pair of post partum jeans from Macy that are still a smidge too big. I do wear maternity shirts though.
-Stretchies? no
-Sleep? same
-Best moment this week? scheduling my ultrasound, March 8th!
-Movement? I have felt a few thumps but not many
-Food cravings? not yet
-Gender? we don't know!
-Labor signs? none.
-Belly button in or out? in
-What I miss? Diet Coke, but I have had a caffiene free diet coke
-What I am looking forward to? feeling baby move!
-Weekly wisdom? Enjoy it, it flies by!
-Milestones? taste buds are forming!

movement?

I think I felt baby 2.0 swimming around! Saturday, February 6th in the morning, I was 15 weeks 3 days, it was some fluttering but haven't really felt it since. So, I'm waiting it out to see if there's more.

11 week dr appt

I went in for my 11 week dr's appt on Thursday, January 7th. It was the first appt for me to hear peanut's heartbeat, and I was nervous. I had gained about a pound and a half and I got to hear that precious sound almost as soon as Marcala (my dr's nurse) placed the doppler right on my tummy. It was beating wildly at 160 bpm.

My friend mommy moreno does this quiz every month and I like it so I thought I would do the same!

How far along? 11 weeks!
-How big is baby? a lime
-Weight gain/loss? +1.5 lbs
-Maternity clothes? just skirts
-Stretchies? no
-Sleep? same
-Best moment this week? Hearing peanut's hearbeat for the first time
-Movement? not yet
-Food cravings? not specifically but I love me some turkey sandwiches
-Gender? we don't know
-Labor signs? none.
-Belly button in or out? in
-What I miss? ugh, nothin yet
-What I am looking forward to? july =)
-Weekly wisdom?
-Milestones? peanut has tiny tooth buds =)

b's slideshow {child photographer}

Enjoy!

enjoy the small things

I had something completely different planned for my entry today, but I just read the most amazing blog post in a long time. And you need to read it too.
Warning: If you cry ugly like me and don't like people seeing you cry, don't read it in public. But read it. It WILL change you.

"To be loved...is the greatest feeling one can ever feel."

Enjoy the small things

why do I do this to myself?

I have so much to say and blog but yet I just don't do it. I need a spankin.

I'm terribly behind on everything in my life and I just don't know why.

I'm distracted. Distracted by my lil love bug (who is laying in my arms bawling because I hurt her feelings - I said no!, I guess it was too harsh!?!), by photography, by baby 2.0, by daycare, by life, by moving. Oh yeah, have I mentioned we are moving - AGAIN?!?! Yup, back to house of Macy's conception! Hahaha, I love saying that!! But really, it's the house that we lived in about a year and half ago before I had Macy and we moved out because I was large and in charge and the house was not going to be renovated in time for love bugs arrival. Well, we are shooting for April. But I'm not getting my hopes up. I moved into this nest 4 days before giving birth to miss grace, so nothing is out of my zone.

How cute would these be in the love's room?? (They are sharing! Not for lack of space, we are more then doubling our square footage but because they are getting a huge room with the most storage and I see no reason kids can't share rooms. That is unless it's a boy then they'll share for just a few years. If it's a girl, they'll share for a very long time!)

Wall Cards



I would even string them up some twine and little miniture clothes pins just as shown. Oh, cute as a button!

And I'm 95% sure I have their bedding picked out. Macy is getting a toddler bed and peanut gets her crib. If baby 2.0 is a girl, they will have matching bedding (I know, I'm just like that!! They'll hate me eventually I'm sure!) And this will be their bedding. I've loved it for over a year and can't stop thinking about it. We're meant to be together! It is pricey but it's Pottery Barn, my favorite and it'll last a long time.

Brooke



And if peanut is a boy, he's getting elephants. I think it's classic. It's called Eli. I'm much more willing to find something different for a boy, but I'm satisfied with this.



Anyone else watching the Bachelor, I love it!

We got about 6 inches of snow last night! I welcomed it this time because last weekend when it snowed it really ruffled my feathers! Yes, it did. We had a great weekend getaway planned, a marriage retreat weekend, with about 25 other couples from our church and the white fluffy stuff ruined it. Humph. We did end up having some classes here but trust me, it's not the same. I was so looking forward to getting out of town and enjoying the comforts of a hotel and big city with my main squeeze and instead we arrived late (our fault!), sat in squished corners (again, probably my fault!) and came home just like any other evening and J went to work. So, I was bummed but we are still taking a weekend getaway (just without our friends :( ) hopefully sometime here soon.

I'm having a girl's night/scentsy party tomorrow night. My friend sells scentsy and I love it. I'm also thinking it's a good time for a girl's night of games and food so I'm inviting them for the scentsy party but then we're hanging out as long as anyone wants to and playing games and eating til we can no longer stand it! I love to eat!

Does anyone follow along Pioneer Woman? I love her. I'm addicted to her black heels to tractor wheels love story. If you are bored and have about 13 hours to spare, click on over. I normally read til my eyes burn; I'm somewhere around chapter 31 or so!?!

I better run and go fetch my child. Love to all. xoxoxo