Tuesday, December 25, 2007

deigey was dedicated in church...




my "papaw preach" was able to dedicate our son at his church on sunday, dec. 23rd. it was really special because it is my papaw's 3rd great grandchild...but the only one he's been able to pray over in church. it was sweet. my family was there and so was deigey's godmother molly. she's my best friend and deigey LOVES her! molly is family and has been forever. so it was a special touch to have her there as well. and my uncle tim and his family were here from michigan. everyone had a special time. and of course... i cried. i am always such a soppy mess when emotional events take place. when my papaw prayed for micah and i as parents was when the tears began to roll. =) anyway, good tears. good day. special day for deigey.

xoxo,
alli

Monday, December 17, 2007

UNCLE JOHN FERRAIOLO =)

deigey so big!!!

WE WENT TO THE DR. TODAY BECAUSE I AM A HYPOCHONDRIAC! I SWEAR! I JUST STRESS OVER EVERYTHING. AND I FEEL LIKE DRS HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS! =) SO, I'M CONSTANTLY CALLING THE NURSES AND HIS DR. AND REALLY ANYONE I CAN TALK TO ABOUT MEDICAL ADVICE =) MY BEST FRIEND MOLLY IS GOING TO BE A DR. AND I'M CONSTANTLY CALLING OR TEXTING HER FOR ADVICE TOO =) AND THE FUNNY THING IS THAT I'M NOT JUST A PARANOID FIRST TIME MOM. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN THIS WAY. I CALL DRS WITH QUESTIONS REGARDING MICAH AND MYSELF ALL THE TIME! =) ANYWAY, DEIGE HAS BEEN KINDA BUGGERY LATELY. SO, I CALLED THIS MORNING AND THEY HAD ME BRING HIM IN JUST IN CASE =) WE WENT AND OF COURSE HE IS FINE! BUT...GUESS HOW MUCH HE WEIGHS!!!??? OH MY! BIG BOY! HE WEIGHS 14 POUNDS 7 OUNCES! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? HE OUTGREW ANOTHER DIAPER SIZE! FROM NEWBORN DIAPIES TO SIZE ONE...NOW A SIZE TWO! WOW! BIG DAY IN THE BYRNE HOUSEHOLD! =)

STAY TUNED...
XOXOX,
ALLI

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Tuesday, December 11, 2007

christmas in colorado...

we leave in nine days to go to colorado for christmas! we are really excited because we havent gone in several years 4 the winter season. and deige will get to see snow! =) my grandparents on both sides get to meet deigey this trip. and he will meet my great grandmother on my mom's side =) pretty cool. =) 5 generations!!! im also looking forward to deige meeting my godmother maggie. it will be special to have my godmother meet him. she has such a tender place in my heart. i look up to her in so many ways! she was/ is the perfect boy mom ever! she has 3 sons and they are wonderful! and she handles them with such love. she is fabulous! i wish all of you could meet her =) anyway, i will post pictures as soon as i get there!

xxoo,
alli
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Saturday, December 8, 2007

Wanna Be on TV????

CMT Network is airing a Valentine’s Day TV special featuring an engaged couple—and they’ve asked us to help recruit YOU.

This is a positive “premarital counseling school” that truly wants to help couples merge their two worlds as they surround them with a team of experts--to ensure they have a long lasting happily ever after marriage.

Would you like to be featured… and win the GRAND PRIZE: A GREAT HONEYMOON PACKAGE!
Does he find it a challenge to be romantic? If so, CMT will take you both on a romantic picnic and show him how it’s done. Does your man find that you have a hard time even cooking Mac N Cheese? If so, CMT’s experts will bring in a famous chef to give you some tips.

Taping will be on January 3, 4 and 5th. Please email a photo, where you live, and a brief description of yourself to contactus@chicblvd.com before next Friday, December 14th.

P.S. We are also taking applications for the next ChicBlvd.com Bride to Be!
Sign up for ChicMail!


ChicBlvd: 2151 Michelson Dr Ste 140 Irvine, CA 92612

i love watching him grow




i am so in love with this little man1 it amazes me how he grows a little more every day. not just in size, either! he is becoming more and more alert and aware of everything! he loves baby einstein movies. he loves his bumble bee mobile. he loves ava, our dog. he loves us! its so fun to see his face when micah comes in the room. or when i get home from work...he lights up! he is so fun!

xxoo,
alli

Thursday, November 15, 2007

aw, deige and uncle jeff


baby luvs tummy time

funny



i came home from work and this was how deige was sleeping....what a weirdo, but a cute weirdo...

Monday, November 12, 2007

little man loves bath time now

little man deige LOVES his bath time now. FINALLY! he hated it forever. but we learned that he is much happier when he gets in the big person bath tub with his daddy. =) he LOVES water. and loves to be covered in warm water while he bathes. so we put him in with micah and micah holds him and dips his little legs and body in the water while i suds him up. he giggles and laughs. he LOVES it. i have the most adorable picture of it and i will have to remember to post it on here. so...be on the lookout for it!~

XOXO,
alli

Saturday, October 27, 2007

eventbliss.com


oh my goodness! super cute! www.eventbliss.com sent me the best thing in the world! they are mommy calling cards! ah! so cute! its a business card for mommy's they say, alli byrne mommy to deige byrne. and then my contact information. i LOVE this! especially now that i'm going back to work a few days a week. its a great thing to leave with a babysitter. =) i also received some matching stationary with my name on it. it's beautiful. and i'm obsessed with stationary. it's one of my favorite things in the world! so, i felt like such a lucky girl the day these great items came in the mail! =) thanks, marlynn!

XOXO,
alli

zoe and zane's halloween party

our neighbors, zoe and zane, had a halloween party. deige dressed as a pumpkin. zoe was dorothy from the wizard of oz. she's 5 and so so cute~ she was busy partying with her friends...but zane had time to hold little deige. zane was a dragon. so cute! i love the photo of them together. zoe and zane are going to be great friends with deige. having great neighbors makes all the difference in the world. we love them!

XOXO,
alli

Sunday, October 21, 2007

amusemebaby.com


ever since amusemebaby.com sent me a nursing cover, i have literally used it several times a day! it makes it SOOO much easier to go out in public. i took it to my friend's home for a dinner party. i was able to sit at the table and eat with everyone while i nursed deige under the pretty curtain. it's so cute! their fabrics are gorgeous! i would definitely recommend these to all nursing moms. i may have to get another one before i'm done nursing this year! =)

www.amusemebaby.com

XOXO,
alli

Friday, October 19, 2007

Ramalama

So, i know i already wrote a blog about it, but this is just such a fabulous bag that i have to talk about it again! seriously, this diaper bag doesn't even look like a diaper bag. its super chic and so soft! people think it's my purse, not a bulky diaper bag. i LOVE that! it's called RAMALAMA and its from a darling website called www.mamasandmunchkins.com They have TONS of great items if youre a new mom, a mom to be, or even just getting a gift for someone who is a mom. I also love their Built NY double thirsty totes. they strap on strollers or diaper bags and make bottle finding MUCH easier than digging through a bag. they are super cute, too! anyway, thanks to Teri from www.mamasandmunchins.com i now have the BEST diaper bag ever! Don't forget to check them out!

XOXO,
alli

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

aida jane

we went to see his second cousin aida =) she is 3 months and such a doll! her daddy is micah's first cousin. he actually married us =) he is a wonderful pastor...he was actually just out here to do a friend's wedding over the weekend. and we LOVED having them near by. we've missed them so much! he and his pretty wife moved their family of 4 to oregon. we all miss them a lot. if carrie and adam lived here, micah and i would literally be best friends w them and raise our kids around eachother. its a shame we're so far from eachother. but that will make their visits more meaningful. and im sure we'll eventually take lil deige to oregon to see them. did you see how pink aida was compared to my little olive skinned baby? =)

XOXO,
alli

deige and his cousin aida=)

first day of work

i went back to work at the salon yesterday. it was really hard for me to do. but im easing into being a working mom. im only working a few hours 3 days a week. so, its manageable. i really wanted to be a stay at home mommy, but now is not the right timing. i do love my clients and i love my art form, but nothing compares to the love for your child. and because of that, i just always want to be with him. anyway, i will keep you posted as how mommyhood treats me...for more updates on my blog, make sure you sign up for chicmail =)

XOXO,
alli

Saturday, October 13, 2007

nursing happily in public with my new curtain!

yay! this adorable company, www.amusemebaby.com, sent me a really sassy nursing curtain. i don't always have time to pump enough milk for a bottle before i leave the house. so, this nursing curtain is totally going to come in handy! i'm really excited to use it! you should check out their products. they aren't cheezy at all...they are super cute and practical. i'm really into their fun patterns. thanks so much, amusemebaby! i really appreciate the thoughtful gift!

XOXO,
alli

Friday, October 5, 2007

NEW MOM Alli Season TWO

NEW MOM - ALLI SEASON TWO :

my sweet little family
10/04/07



me and my best friend =)
10/04/07



Deige loves his Godmother Molly
10/04/07



deige and his sister ava =)
10/04/07



Godmother Molly in town
9/28/07

My best friend, Molly, came into town yesterday to meet her god-son. =) she's so sweet with him. it's really fun to have her here. she's so natural with him. molly is like a sister to me. she's family and i'm so lucky to have her in my life. and now in deige's life. i'll post some beautiful pictures of them soon. have to find time to upload the photos. =) anyway, she leaves tomorrow and it will be sad to see her go. we miss here. she used to live here in california, but moved home to colorado after college. it's okay, though. we are going to make sure we visit her as often as we can. molly is such an important part of this family. i'll make sure to write more later.

XOXO,
alli

mamas and munchkins diaper bag
9/28/07

okay, so today the mail man came and i was so excited! a) because i got the door BEFORE the dog barked. so the baby didn't wake up. =) and b) because he brought me the best gift in the world! =) www.mamasandmuchkins.com sent me the most beautiful leather brown diaper bag and i'm obsessed with it! it's super stylish and sassy. i'll feel cute in public with a bag like that. it's not at all cheezy like a lot of diaper bags are. so...for any of you looking for a great bag...check this site out! their products are top of the line! i also enjoy their post its for babysitters. they give information numbers and stuff like that on them. super cute. and super useful. it may take me a while to let a babysitter watch my little one. but when i'm ready, the post its will definitely come in handy! anyway, thank you so so so so much, mamas and munchkins! i love the beautiful diaper bag! it's perfect!

XOXO,
alli

loving his swing
9/28/07



the dirty flu
9/28/07

so...on tues morning, around 3am, micah and i woke up super sick to our tummies. not fun. at 1st we thought it was just food poisoning. but then the throw ups and the aches and pains came along. it was really hard to handle while taking care of deige. i took deige to the dr that morning cuz i was paranoid he would get sick. and paranoid that my milk wouldnt be the best since i couldnt eat or drink. but, she assured me that deige would be fine cuz he gets all of my antibodies from my milk. she said, "not to be mean, but you dont matter any more to mother nature. all of your nutrients and antibodies go to deige. especially when youre sick." she said that because of that, it may take me longer to get better. which, was true. by 3pm, micah was feeling much better. and i was still throwing up everything. including water. i was so dehydrated. it was so hard to nurse when my body was running on empty. 7pm rolled around and i lost it. i thought i was going to lose my mind. literally felt like i was having a nervous breakdown. i was nursing and sick to my tummy and keeping nothing in my body. my milk was getting thicker and deige wasn't satisfied. so i constantly had him on my breast. poor guy. it broke my heart. 730 came and i called micah's mom. she took me to the er. we waited there from 8-1130. when we got there, we were one of 2 people in the er. by the time 1130 rolled around, we were in a packed waiting room. everyone kept getting seen before me because their emergencies were worse than mine. although, at the time, i didn't agree that was the case. but it was. there were people in there with chest pains, open wounds, everything. i thought mine was a bigger emergency only because i was trying to feed another human being with my run down body. deige nursed once in the er and fell asleep. thank God. he slept the whole time. by 1130 i was so tired of waiting my turn. already miserable, i decided to just be miserable at home. so karen took us home. micah, karen, deige and i snuggled up in the living room for a lot of the night. we all had blankets and water and watched LA Ink. water finally stayed down. i think the last time i threw up was around midnight. it was a long haul. from 3am to midnight...wow. my body is still recovering. micah's is too. and deige is happy to have his milk back to normal.

i think the neatest thing through all of this is that Deige was protected from my sickness by drinking milk from my body. it's neat that i can protect him even when i'm not protected myself. i love the bond between mother and baby. we are so dependent on eachother, it's crazy. my body made his body. him nursing me, helped heal my body. and him nursing allows me to keep his body healthy. really neat how that works out. anyway, i'm rambling. so, the flu sucked. make sure you all get flu shots this year! its worth it!
XOXO,
alli

Daddy and Deige
9/24/07



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nap time
9/24/07



dietary cuts....bummer!
9/24/07


big bummer for mommy, good thing for deigey! little man's tummy is ultra sensitive and i've had to cut nearly everything out of my diet. i cut out dairy, turkey, caffeine, sweets, everything! i was basically eating plain chicken and a few veggies here and there. drinking TONS of water! =) but, anyway, i've slowly added things to figure out what he's sensitive to. i think i've narrowed it down. he is sensitive to apple juice, caffeine, (which, duh, i shouldn't have that anyway...although i feel like it's my saving grace after a long night), turkey, and dairy. little man didn't like turkey when i was pregnant, and he still doesn't like it now. =) how funny. his tummy is ultra sensi. it's fun learning him. i have fun learning new things about him every day. he's so sweet. his personality is super sweet. he loves to cuddle and be close. he's learned what kisses are. and he'll put is face on my lips when i'm holding him if he wants more kisses. super sweet. i love it. and sometimes he'll even smile when i kiss his face off! =) micah shaved his facial hair today for deige's sake. i think he'll like his daddy's soft skin better than the pokey hair. =) i like micah with a shaved face too. i think it makes him look so handsome. anyway, today we gave him his first bath. we couldn't give him a real bath before now because of the belly button healing and also his circumcision. everything is healed now, so we took a bath! yay! it was so fun! micah and i video taped it and took pictures. so fun. he's so funny cause he screamed bloody murder during the bath, but smiled so big when we took him out. he felt so yummy and clean. he loved lounging in his robe and he loved having me massage lotion into his little skin. he smells so pretty! and now that his hair is washed, it looks even more blonde! it's fun to see his features changing before our very eyes. he looks different every day. so fun. baby is the love of our lives. we are so blessed.

XOXO,
alli

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Getting it down
9/24/07

we're starting to get it down...this whole parenting thing. =) we're learning to get into more of a routine. we're learning deige and he is learning us. it's fun. but really tiring. we took deige to see my dear friend rachael yesterday. her parents were thrilled to see him as well. and it got me out of the house for a few hours. micah and i really had fun over there. good friends are hard to come by. it was nice cause they didn't make me feel pressured at all to bring him over, or to see him. even though rachael was only in town for a few days. they are just genuinely good fun people to be around and i felt comfortable bringing my 2 week old baby over to see them. i'm still being protective mommy, though, when it comes to people coming over to our home. i'm still ultra protective around kids especially. he hasn't had any vaccinations yet and the dr. advised me to limit visitors and especially kid visitors. she said that it's especially important because it's back to school time and kids are full of germs and the flu virus is potentially fatal to a little 2 week boy. so, she said any one who comes around him needs to have the flu vaccine. i'm all about that. i get it every year any way.

1st time in swing
9/20/07



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one week old
9/20/07


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9/18/07
very tired, very happy

it's weird being a new mommy. you're so tired, but it's strange cause you just don't care to sleep cause you're so happy to have a little one. i'm definitely running on exhaustion, but i know it will only get better from here. deige has been having fits late at night. they last about 3 hours. it's definitely his fussy time. last night, though, he did well. started his fit early and we were all in bed by 12. deige and i slept about 6 hours last night in between feedings and diaper changes. so, that was the most we've slept in the last week. very exciting.

i'm still really trying hard to heal my body. it's been rough. i have these horrible leg pains on the top of my legs from my hips to my knees. it's a tingling sensation that feels much like the tingle of the epidural. and when the tingling stops, i get surges of hot blood running down my legs and it makes me cry. it's horrible. i went to the dr yesterday to check it out and she said i have nerve damage from holding my legs so hard during labor. she said it's normal for some women. and to let it take it's course. she also thought i was anemic because my head was feeling dizzy when i would have leg pains. and i would almost black out because of it. but, i took a blood test, and i'm fine. just a weird coincidence that the head aches, blackouts, and dizziness is all at the same time as my tingling legs. anyway, hoping it gets better every day.

i still feel really icky and haven't wanted any men around because of it. i've felt bad because i haven't wanted the two grandpas around because of the icky way i feel. and its hard to have friends over for the same reason. i don't know if other moms have felt this way or not, but i really only want women around me. for a while, my husband even drove me nuts to be around. i wasn't the nicest to him in the hospital. but, we're learning to help eachother become parents and from that, we've fallen in love all over again. so, that's a good thing. but, my raging hormones, my aching body, and all my leaking going on in the boob department has really made me not want men around at all. my dad, bless his heart, has been so understanding. he flew here from colorado and really doesn't make me feel guilty about not wanting men around. he leaves tomorrow, so i'm sure he'll spend some time with deige today. anyway, the baby is crying...i have to go feed. i'll spend more time writing later.

XOXO,
alli

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a proud daddy
9/16/07



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I'm a mommy!!!!
9/15/07


yay! i'm a mommy! it finally happened...baby deige came into our world on september 11, 2007 @4:55am. i had a 9 hour labor, but pushed for 45. they tried to stop my contractions because they were so big and one on top of the other. it was very painful, had two epidurals...still felt the birth! =( so, it wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't the worst thing in the world, either. i'm so much in love with my son. i would have labored for 9 months, and been pregnant a day if that was what it took. he is perfect and i'm so thankful that he is healthy and strong. he weighed 7 punds 12 ounces. he is nineteen inches long. and he has blonde hair and blue eyes at the moment. he looks exactly like micah's baby pictures. =) super sweet. he is a biscuit. we LOVE this little man! i'll write more later. still recovering...i'm very tired.
XOXO,
alli

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Tuesday, July 24, 2007

So Proud!

So Proud!

I actually JOGGED last weekend! What an accomplishment~ And I owe it in huge part to PUSH TV and my trainer Mike Monroe. I just started session #3 with PUSH and it is the first one that has REALLY challenged me. The previous sessions have kind of been building on each other and the most recent left me sore, a good sore, the next day. I'm continuing to "plug away" at my workouts and am feeling really great. I can tell it's given me more energy throughout the day.
My next goal is to begin swimming as exercise. I've never been a strong swimmer...I think it started in grade school when I failed swimming lessons (yes, you really can fail:). But I'm going to turn over a new leaf and give it a try. It's an important part of my overlying goal of eventually competing in a triatholon!
Sophia Update: She's EVERYWHERE!! Crawling all over, pulling herself up on everything...it's a wonder I have a moment to spare for exercising!

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Saturday, July 14, 2007

Cool Shades...

Cool Shades...

So I have to tell everyone about this great find that I have been using for Sophia's stroller. Ever since I've had a baby, I've been OBSESSED with protecting her from the sun. I figure, I should start her out by protecting her from as much sun damage as possible...hopefully by the time she's a teenager, it won't be "in" to have a constant dark tan like it was when I was that age!
Anyway, in addition to massive amounts of sunscreen, I've been using this great Stroller Sun Shade Attachment that you can find at www.stylishlyprotected.com or www.protectabub.com. This sun cover easily attaches to almost any stroller (I have two strollers and it works with both) and protects against 98% of the sun's UVA & UVB rays. Plus when she's getting a little drowsy in her stroller, I can pull the shade down to help her take a nap (and buy me some time:-)

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Wednesday, July 4, 2007

I will survive!

I will survive!


Sophia has been a little under the weather for the past week. She was feeling better today so we spent some time outside "playing". Mommy needed some "outside time" too. I'm feeling a little claustrophobic!
Well...I've made it past the first 2 weeks of my fitness program with PUSH, and I have to say, they make it really easy for me to workout with my new life situation..i.e."trying to get in shape after having and trying to keep up with a baby!"(now mind you, "making it easy", and just going ahead and doing the workout for me are two VERY different things:-)
My fitness trainer, Mike, calls me every two weeks to check in, see if I have any questions, and basically encourage me in reaching my goals. The current challenge he's given me is investigating a competitive event that I can set as my future goal. I'm looking at some triatholons, or maybe a 1/2 marathon. Haven't decided yet.

Yesterday, for Mother's Day, Justin, Sophia and I went for a hike. And boy, was it a hike! It definitely made me realize that I still have a long way to go to acheive all of my fitness goals, but finishing the hike encouraged me that I'm not a total "lost cause" :)

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Friday, June 8, 2007

Exercise Programs to Purchase - www.push.tv/chicblvd

Exercise Programs to Purchase - www.push.tv/chicblvd


Hi Ladies... so I'm joining 2 More Hours with PUSH tv and ChicBlvd.com!

I had my first phone call with one of the trainers on Wednesday!

I'll share more later, but please join me on this journey at www.push.tv/chicblvd (get a FREE 30-DAY TRIAL!)

For more updates on my journey, sign up for www.getchicmail.com at www.ChicBlvd.com.

Monday, June 4, 2007

Happy as a "Daisy"...

Happy as a "Daisy"...

I threw on her new hat from Maggie's Rose. It's one of the most adorable hats she owns! I can hardly take her out in public without getting stopped and people asking me where I picked up this cute hat. You can see what Maggie's Rose has to offer at www.maggiesrose.com. You can also scope out where you can pick one up for your little darling. We just celebrated our friend, Celia's, first birthday and gave her one...it was a hit! And she looked adorable in it too.

For more updates on my journey, sign up for www.getchicmail.com at www.ChicBlvd.com.

Friday, May 4, 2007

Sophia is my little Rock Star!

Sophia is my little Rock Star!

If you want to bring out the rockstar in your baby check out the hip and trendy onesies from My Rockstar Baby. Their onesies are printed with unique and funny phrases that accurately describe the life and times of babies everywhere - with just a touch of attitude! Phrases like "poop happens", "active doodie" and "i'm pooped" are just some of the designs offered at My Rockstar Baby. All designs are printed on super-soft onesies available in short-sleeve and long-sleeve. My Rockstar Baby was created by the passion and desires of best friends Emmy and Mookie. Their love of babies and all things associated, along with the desire to own their own company, helped them to create this unique and fun line of onesies.

Check it out! :)

For more updates on my journey, sign up for www.getchicmail.com at www.ChicBlvd.com.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Just can't get enough

Just can't get enough

I've found there are two things that I thought I had TONS of when Sophia was born...I even thought that maybe I had two many. I was wrong! I've since learned that you can never have enough burp clothes and blankets.
One of Sophia's favorite blankets is the Cuddle Zabba from AllyZabba. It's an adorable kiwi color "snugly" blanket with a beautiful trim. I get lots of compliments on it when we go out.
AllyZabba also has beautiful burp cloths. Or as they call them...Burpie Zabbas :)Just because you use them for spit up doesn't mean they shouldn't' be beautiful, right!
So anyway, just wanted to give you the tip...check out AllyZabba.com. If you're like I am, I'm not only always in the market for cool baby stuff for my little gal, but also for the dozens of friends I know who are having babies!

For more updates on my journey, sign up for www.getchicmail.com at www.ChicBlvd.com.

Sunday, April 15, 2007

The Queen on her Throne!

The Queen on her Throne!

Each day Sophia becomes more of a little person. Her newest discovery is the view she has from her highchair. We just started feeding her in it regulary this week. It's so cute to see her little body in the big chair. Not only does she love sitting up so high like a "big girl", but we have dinner entertainment now!
The only problem is, I've quickly discovered the downside of having carpet in the eating area of the kitchen...gross! There's a smattering of squash, apples, and peas on the ground.
Also, we've discovered the beauty of those little "Puffs" that melt in her mouth. She's LOVES those things...and they are great from "buying some time" while I'm working on something!

For more updates on my journey, sign up for www.getchicmail.com at www.ChicBlvd.com.

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

A Special Week

A Special Week

My husbands parents just left today after a week long trip to our place in California from their home in Illinois. I was reminded just how special seeing our parents interacting with our little girl. It's so neat to see Justin's mom sing songs and nursery rhymes to Sophia. It allows me to glimpse back in time to when Justin was a baby and she sang those same songs to him.
Because our families are so far away, Sophia is the beneficiary of some MAJOR spoiling when she does see her grandmas and grandpas! And I get spoiled too by getting a break from diaper changes and baths:)
My family (Dad, Mom, Sister, Brother, Aunt and Uncle) is coming out to visit over Easter to see us...who am I kidding...to see Sophia! We can't wait.
I've realized that even though a couple of thousand miles separate us, the time we are now able to spend with our family is not taken for granted anymore. We value each minute we're able to be together. And our communication during the time we're not together is much more frequent, via phone, email, webcam, than it was when we lived just a few miles away.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Thanks to those of you who keep checking back for an update on this blog. I’m FINALLY getting around to posting…motherhood is a lot of things, and one of those things is a FULL TIME JOB!

Since I’ve last written, we’ve traveled across the country with Sophia, she’s started to roll over on her own (and roll very quickly!!), started eating solid foods, cut her first two teeth, gotten her first fever and has been busy changing and growing each day.

I’ve started going to a group called MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) at a local church. It’s been such a huge blessing to me (you can find a MOPS meeting in your area by visiting www.mops.org). MOPS has been a great time to connect with other new moms like myself, moms who’ve had a few years experience, and “mentor moms” who are usually “grandma age” to guide all of us through the process.

In my group at MOPS, two of the moms have newborns. While Sophia and the other kids hang out in the nursery, the newborns get to come to the meeting with us. In the couple of times I’ve gotten to cradle these little cuties in my arms, I’ve realized that in my mind, Sophia never really grew out of this stage. I didn’t realize how big she really was until I held a newborn again. Another reminder of how fast this time has gone!

Since Sophia has started eating solids, I feel like most of my day is spent either feeding her or preparing her food (I’m making most of it at home in my blender). I suppose it’s a small price to pay to be able to know exactly what is going into her body and that it’s healthy, fresh produce, but I didn’t know how much time it takes to feed a baby J She’s good to go on the yellow veggies, but the green veggie introduction hasn’t gone quite as smoothly as I would have hoped. She gagged on the avocadoes and broccoli was a “no go”. I was going to try green beans next but I’m not very hopeful. Any advice anyone might have on introducing the “green guys”, send it my way!

Thanks to those of you who keep checking back for an update on this blog. I’m FINALLY getting around to posting…motherhood is a lot of things, and one of those things is a FULL TIME JOB!

Since I’ve last written, we’ve traveled across the country with Sophia, she’s started to roll over on her own (and roll very quickly!!), started eating solid foods, cut her first two teeth, gotten her first fever and has been busy changing and growing each day.

I’ve started going to a group called MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) at a local church. It’s been such a huge blessing to me (you can find a MOPS meeting in your area by visiting www.mops.org). MOPS has been a great time to connect with other new moms like myself, moms who’ve had a few years experience, and “mentor moms” who are usually “grandma age” to guide all of us through the process.

In my group at MOPS, two of the moms have newborns. While Sophia and the other kids hang out in the nursery, the newborns get to come to the meeting with us. In the couple of times I’ve gotten to cradle these little cuties in my arms, I’ve realized that in my mind, Sophia never really grew out of this stage. I didn’t realize how big she really was until I held a newborn again. Another reminder of how fast this time has gone!

Since Sophia has started eating solids, I feel like most of my day is spent either feeding her or preparing her food (I’m making most of it at home in my blender). I suppose it’s a small price to pay to be able to know exactly what is going into her body and that it’s healthy, fresh produce, but I didn’t know how much time it takes to feed a baby J She’s good to go on the yellow veggies, but the green veggie introduction hasn’t gone quite as smoothly as I would have hoped. She gagged on the avocadoes and broccoli was a “no go”. I was going to try green beans next but I’m not very hopeful. Any advice anyone might have on introducing the “green guys”, send it my way!