Getting a little easier!!

I hate that I have been neglecting my blog cuz I really do enjoy writing! Always have! It's been a little over a month since my last entry so I guess I have some catching up to do!

Christmas didn't really seem like Christmas this year due to "lack of funds" to put it nicely. We knew it would be rough trying to get caught up from me being on maternity leave and then stumbling right onto the holidays but we muttled through somehow. I hate that I am not able to give my children what their friends are getting but I can't afford to buy them the best phones and laptops and new clothes every week. Hopefully this will help them appreciate what they DO have and when I am able to buy them things they will respect it. We celebrated early this year just to get it over with. Mom was willing as well so we just did a small get together and then on Christmas Eve we went to Taco Johns and Mama, me and Kate went to look @ Christmas lights. It has been a tradition for as long as I can remember and we had a great time!!! Earlier that day I took Liam to St. Jo to get his pic taken with Santa. Duane was afraid he wouldn't let Santa hold him. I knew better. My boy lets ANYONE hold him. Mom told me I need to teach this kid "stranger danger" LOL! Anyway....Liam did great! It was soooo cold that day that we almost didn't take him. I didn't do this with my first 2 kids but I would love to take Liam every year! It's so much more fun being a parent to Liam because his Daddy loves him just as much as I do. It is so nice to have a 2nd parent as I was completely alone for my older 2. I can't wait for the spring so we can take him to the Omaha zoo!

 

After a lot of encouragement, we started Liam on cereal a few weeks ago. At first we didn't notice much difference. The reason we started it early (Dr. recommends 4-6 mos.) was because we were hoping it would help him sleep for longer periods of time. It wasn't until we bumped him up to 2 TBS per 4 oz that we even began to see results. He is still getting up in the night but he goes right back to sleep. Before he would sleep maybe 4 hours then he was up for the rest of the night sometimes. Hopefully we are on the right track and can soon try him in the bassinet again. I gave up on it cuz I wanted to sleep as much as I could!

It has been sooooo friggin cold lately! As many of you know...I HATE winter!!! HATE HATE HATE it! I hate the snow and the ice mainly but I hate having to put my coat, shoes and gloves on everywhere I go! My hair gets all staticky! I hate having to warm my car up. I can't take Liam out for fear of him getting sick...that and it's just too damn cold to deal with it! I want shorts, flippy floppies and warm weather!!! Only 5 months to go!!! UGH!!! Yet another reason to drag my happy butt to Florida!

 

With the cold comes sickness! Liam and I got it first. The whole family has had a cough and stuffy nose. My poor husband got it the worst....I'm gonna blame it on the fact that he is a smoker. He went to the ER the other night while I was at work and found out he has the FLU, Bronchitis and a touch of pneumonia. Gave him a shot and sent him on his way. I think he is feeling a bit better but still feels rough!

My 2 sick boys! Liam has been drooling non-stop for a couple months now and I swear he is cutting teeth but he hasn't been cranky and no fever...and nothing poking its way through his little gums YET!  STAY TUNED!!!

I am soooo getting excited about income tax time. I have a million and 1 things I wanna buy and this is the only time of the year that we get to buy those things that the rest of the world is able to buy through the year! 1st thing I am getting us new phones and I am gonna try to buy the kids laptops so that they will stay off of mine!!! Of course there are a ton of things that I hate to spend money on but have to such as property tax and getting Duane's teeth pulled and catching up on bills...but hopefully there will be some "play" money left over!!!

 

Kate and I will be going to see this girl in August! We are her biggest fans and she has been to KC several times and we weren't able to go...but this year....WE ARE GOING!!! The countdown is ON!

 

 

This girl is getting sleepy. I was up most of the night because Duane has been sick and he snored ALL night so I am letting him sleep in a bit more then I am taking over that paradise I call MY BED!

 

B4 I say goodbye til next month/year I will leave you with this! Hard 2 believe my favorite little man is 3 months old!!!! :(

 

 

 



 

Getting used 2 being...EXHAUSTED!

Liam will be 2 months old on Monday. Hard to believe..but so very true! He has picked up weight like none other. Every time I see him I think he has gained 5 pounds! He is starting to sleep a little bit longer @ night which is great except I am so used to getting up every 2 hours with him that I just can't sleep @ all. Ever. Not @ night. Not during the day! So...needless to say I walk around zombified most of the time and have to answer questions like "what's wrong?" and "are you mad?" CONSTANTLY! I typically get maybe 3 hours of sleep a night. I spend most of the night tossing and turning and laying there waiting for Liam to wake up and when he does I am so tired I can't keep my eyes open!

Yesterday was Thanksgiving. This year has been so screwy and the month of November was probably the worst month of the year financially because I have been trying to get back and forth to work which is rather expensive as gas is $3.09 a gallon! I have yet to receive a full paycheck and once I do things will start to look up...or so I hope. One day last week, I went out to my car to go to work and it wouldn't start. Within 10 minutes Duane got it started and I haven't had any further trouble with it but now I am paranoid about it! My biggest fear is going to work and coming out @ 1030 when its FREEZING and the car won't start. I'm a long ways away from home!!

I have a whole pile of things that I pray will wait til February when I get my income tax...getting my car checked on is one of those things! Til then...I will just keep on truckin!

A New Routine!

It's been 5 weeks since I took my leave from work. It seems like its been 1!!! Tomorrow my favorite little man in the world will be 1 month old??? How does this happen? Why does time go so fast? Something about a new life that makes you appreciate life's little things.

1st Month In Review



Duane and I have gotten a routine and we take turns with 1st and 2nd shift! I LONG for the 2nd shift cuz it seems like those are the only nights when I get a really good night of sleep but sometimes it just doesn't even seem to matter. He still has good nights and bad nights. Last night was a wonderful night. I slept almost 7 hours straight! Pretty sure that hasn't happened in the last month!

That fear of a newborn baby is gone now. We are both very comfortable now. We know the difference in his cries. We know when he doesn't feel good. Tomorrow I have my follow up appointment with Jane. I am less than excited but its a step I have 2 take 2 get released 4 work. If I am released I should be heading back 2 work Tuesday. If Im not...I will have another week off I spec. I think Im ready 2 go back. Of course I will miss the baby, and having all the freedom of being home all the time but money is essential to survival and Christmas?? Good grief..that's coming our way too!

My older kids have their own lives and I haven't gotten to see them much in the time I have been off. Andy seems to be dipping back into some old habits that I have tried for years to stear him clear of but @ 17...I am done trying. He is old enough 2 know better. He has seen the consequences. I am only one person and can't live his life for him. My little lady (the only one I will ever have...thank God I have ONE) has been in "teenager land" since the beginning of the school year. She is with her best friend every day. Seriously...every day. She is growing up really fast but I still see alot of innocence that I hope she doesn't lose anytime soon.

I have wanted to capture a family photo for a very long time....ok since Liam was born but Andy is never here and if he is here...Kate is gone! My love for photography has returned and if I had the time and money I would love to take a class to get better at it. I have my eyes on this beauty that I think I will purchase @ income tax time!



Canon Powershot G-15....YES PLEASE!!!


 

A huge step up from the current Canon Powershot I have but a girl can dream right?

Also...the food!

We have been eating like Kings and Queens! I have had some time to actually cook some of the goodies I have been pinning for months. Last night I made this.....

Chicken Spaghetti

AND 4 Dessert?????

Pumpkin Bars


Needless 2 say....both were AMAZING!!!!