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Well hello again. I really wanted to continue posting here but life got in the way. I think I'll go the same route I did with my last blog post. Ashlyn is doing amazingly well with school as she transitioned into the middle school this school year.  She has a solid group of friends and is enjoying her time spent with those friends at school.  Her work load is quite a bit more this year but she seems to be taking that on with no issues.  She will be 13 this year and she is now taller than me and definitely has that teenage attitude. She begins softball this month.  She has expressed interest in sports for some time now but we always missed deadlines.  This year, we got her in just in time and she's really looking forward to playing.  She also is still pursuing the drums.  She just has a snare for now but she would eventually love to learn to play a full drum set.  She's also a part of the choir.  So many activities. Bryan will be 11 this year....

I can't believe I haven't made a blog post in almost 3 years.  It's amazing to me how much social media took over everything and made blogs obsolete.  I used to love blogging.  I loved recording all the memories and sharing them with people who chose to follow along.  I'm a little sad that it's taken me this long to resurrect this amazing place.   When I checked my reading list, I noticed that almost all of the blogs I used to follow have also not posted anything in 3+ years.  Why did we all just disappear?  Maybe they've gone to new platforms?  Maybe the are just using social media accounts like me?  I miss reading about other people's lives, the good and the bad.  A lot has happened in the past three years.   I went back to work!  I was looking to re-enter the workforce at some point and life events pushed me to do that a little sooner than I had expected.  But there was an opportunity and I took it.  It w...

Well it's been ages since I've actually published a blog post (since March to be exact).  I have quite a few sitting in my drafts just waiting to be finished but I just never seem to have the time or the energy.  But I've had some things weighing on me lately that I finally felt the need to sit down, write out and share. Two months ago, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and a severe vitamin d deficiency.  A week ago, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Disease along with my vitamin d deficiency.  I went from no diagnosis to one irritating diagnosis to an even more irritating auto-immune disease diagnosis.  It's been a bit of a whirlwind but I'm actually relieved that I finally have an answer to what has been going on because it's been going on for a long time.  Let's look back. When I was pregnant with Davis (2015-2016), the anxiety started.  Normal considering he was a pregnancy after loss.  After he was born, I suffered from PPD.  I to...

Well I've dropped the ball on my blog yet again.  I really want to do more blogging this year but there just aren't enough hours in the day.  So, here's a little update about what's going on in our lives so far this year. --Ashlyn turned 7 in December.  7 going on 17.  I'm in trouble with her.  She's got the eye roll down and really likes to question just about everything.  Her sass is no match for her kindness, though.  She's the sweetest kid I know, has the biggest heart and really does a great job of helping me out with whatever I need. She's still doing very well in school.  She excels in math and is in the math enrichment program in her school again this year.  I just love her love of learning. She finally asked to get her ears pierced!  I have nothing against people who pierce their baby's ears, but we always said we would wait until she was old enough to make the decision for herself and could take of the healing hers...

Ashlyn turned 7! I'm not sure how this happened.  How have I been a parent for 7 years already?  How did my sweet, little, easy-going baby turn into a sassy 7 year old?  I can't stand it! Ashlyn had a fantastic birthday. We took her to our local pottery painting store, compliments of her Aunt Arlena.  She chose to paint a unicorn and a plate.  She painted her plate in rainbow colors with a smiley face on it.  She painted her unicorn in all different colors, which may not have been the best idea as it turned out a bit of a nightmare, literally.  She had a great time, though, and loved being able to spend time with her Aunt Arlena, Nana and Mama.

I've missed a lot of updates for my little rainbow guy.  Sorry Davis.  I love you just as much as your brother and sister, you just keep me busy!  Doctor's stats from 15 month check up: Weight 26lbs 9oz (90th %) Height 31 1/2 inches (50th %) Doctor's stats from 18 month check up: Weight 28lbs 6oz (94th %) Height 33 inches (70th %)

I have seriously dropped the ball on blog posts.  I have had ZERO time to post anything lately and I can't stand it!  I use social media to keep track of the age updates, milestones, parties, cute happenings.  I don't mind that but I miss my blog space.  I miss writing.  I really want to get back into my blog space.  I just have to find the time. Some randoms right now: *Ashlyn turned 5 last December and I never blogged about it.  I blew up IG and FB about it but I didn't make a blog post.  I have a draft but I never finished it.  She was sick on her birthday and we had to postpone her party for a week.  But her party was awesome.  She invited all of her preschool friends to her skating party and when Elsa showed up, she was totally blown away.  It turned out to be everything I had dreamed of for her first big party. And now she's almost 6.  And she's just started kindergarten.  And she's got some serious sass....

Well I skipped the 11 month post and he's actually 13 months now but oh well.  My sweet little rainbow baby is a one year old.  Cue the tears.  I love watching him explore and learn but I hate how quickly this first year goes by. Doctor's stats: Weight 23.5lbs 4oz (92nd %) Height 29 1/8 inches (75th %)

I have totally dropped the ball with updates on baby bear.  I haven't posted anything since his 6 month update.  I completely missed posting on his 9 month update with all his stats.  I posted it on Instagram so I guess that counts. Doctor's stats (from 9 month check up): Weight 23.5lbs 4oz (92nd %) Height 29 1/8 inches (75th %) The basics? Diapers - Size 4 Clothing - 18 or 24 month Food - formula, anything we eat Sleeping - still not enough Teeth - 8 teeth! Words - dadadada, nananana, mamamama Favorite toy - puppy rattle, activity cube Well this kid is huge!!  I packed away all of his 12 month clothing about a month ago already so he's wearing all 18 or 24 month clothing now.  I love seeing him in all of Bryan's old clothes.  I love his fat thighs and his big belly.  Fat babies make me happy! His sleeping has still been pretty inconsistent.  He will have two great nights o...

How is this kid 6 months old already?! Doctor's stats: Weight 21lbs 4oz (90th %) Height 26 1/2 inches (50th %) The basics? Diapers - Size 4 Clothing - mostly 12 month Food - formula, some solids Sleeping - not enough! Teeth - two bottom teeth Words - dadadada, nananana, mamamama Favorite toy - bouncer, puppy rattle I want to make sure I keep doing these updates because I want to always have this to look back on but I'm so bad at posting them on time.  Baby bear is 6 months old and, as you can see from his stats, he is a big boy.  We call him tank.  He's wearing 12 month and some 18 month clothing.  I just can't believe I have to pack away his 9 month clothing already. His sleeping is always on and off.  One night he will only wake once during the night, other nights he will wake multiple times.  I don't usually have to feed him when he wakes multiple times but I do have to get him back to sleep.  I woul...

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a common viral illness that usually affects infants and children younger than 5 years old. However, it can sometimes occur in adults. Symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease include fever, blister-like sores in the mouth (herpangina), and a skin rash. ( http://www.cdc.gov/hand-foot-mouth/about/index.html) Are you kidding me? Blister-like sores in the mouth? Why do things like this even exist? What purpose does an illness like this that just torments little babies (and their parents) serve?  This stupid illness is currently 'running it's course' through my poor son. One week before his first birthday. Apparently it's 'going around' as the doctor so nicely explained.  Fortunately we only had one really bad day where he was not eating or drinking much and was just miserable. He was back to his usually happy self in no time even with blisters in his mouth. So this week, while my husband is away for work in Chicago and ...

Baby Bear is four months old already! He's actually almost five months old now but I never got a chance to post this so here goes. Doctor's stats: Weight 18lbs 7oz (95th %) Height 25 3/8 inches (60th %) The basics? Diapers - Size 3 Clothing - 9 month, some 12 Food - formula Sleeping - not enough! Teeth - teething for weeks Words - no words, just lots of coos and laughing Favorite toy - puppy rattle, crinkle book Well we all placed our bets on how big he was going to be at his 4 month appointment and I was almost exactly right.  He's such a tank baby and I love it.  I've had to get the clothing bins out multiple times because he's just growing so quickly.  He's wearing all 9 month clothing and even some 12 month stuff. His sleeping has been getting better.  He suddenly started sleeping 4-5 hours but he only does it for 2 nights and then he has a bad night of being awake every 2 hours.  I wish I could figure out...

So I realize I haven't made a blog post in a while.  Since I post a lot on IG and Facebook, I forget about this little space I have here.  I got Davis' birth story down and that was it.  He's kept me quite busy these past weeks and I couldn't be happier about that. So let's update... Baby Bear is TWO months old already! Actually he's three months old now but who's counting.  Doctor's stats: Weight 14lbs 2oz (90th %) Height 23 3/8 inches (70th %) The basics? Diapers - Size 2 Clothing - 3-6 month and 6 month Food - mostly formula Sleeping - not enough! Teeth - Zero teeth or signs of teething yet Words - no words, just some coos now and then Favorite toy - nothing yet, though he likes the sounds of some of the toys I  can't believe how quickly this boy is growing.  He's so long and so chunky that he's already grown out of most of his 3 month clothing and is onto 3-6 or 6 month clothing.  And his chunky butt is i...

After a rough week of recovery, I am finally able to sit down and write this out. I had been having contractions on and off for weeks.  They were always uncomfortable but they never amounted to anything.  They mostly happened when I was sitting or laying and always stopped when I started walking around.  At my 39 week appoinment (5/3) I was only 1.5cm dilated and 40% effaced.  So dissapointing as I expected more dilation. Fast forward to Friday (5/6).  I started losing my mucus plug that morning but I didn't really think anything of it because I had also lost it with Bryan and he waited two more days before he came.  All day long I was having contractions but they were the same as always and went away every time I walked around. I timed the contractions a few times that night as they started getting a little more intense and more regular.  I would time them for an hour at a shot and they were 5-7 minutes apart.  My husband had...