Starring June Bug during tummy time!!

June Bug is such a strong girl!! She is doing so well at holding her head up. We try to give her tummy time each day so she can build those muscles. She has also started cooing and smiling a lot. I love seeing her smile especially when she smiles just seeing you walk up to her. Hubs and I are just so amazed at how good a baby she is. She hardly cries and is so content.

First day of School

First day of School...Bubby starts Kindergarten and Buggers is in PreK4. They are returning to their school from last year. It wasn't such a big deal for them since they are returning to the same classrooms and teachers. Bubby wasn't very happy about getting his picture taken. Of course Buggers posed right up.
Come to find out...he just wanted to take a picture by himself.

So precious!!

Their first day was great. Bubby even told me that he stayed out of trouble! It is so great that I'm at the same school as them. I tried sneaking a peak at them today but was so busy I didn't even reapply lipstick after lunch!! My classroom faces the playground...hoping I can sneak a peak at them tomorrow.

Weight a minute.....

I loaded up on Oprah the last week before I went back to work. She showcased two books on two different shows. After watching, I really want to read both of them. I have never been a bandwagon reader but these really caught my eye. Women Food and God and Eat Pray Love are the two books I want to read. I want to read Women food and God first...I think I go pick it up at Books A Million tomorrow. (I know the library here in town probably won't have it available for several more months). My mom just got Eat Pray Love from my sister...I hope to borrow it after Mom reads it. After having the baby, I am struggling with the weight that I gained being pregnant. I have lost about half of what I gained. My body image has not been the greatest. And the worst part is I know there are many factors that are going to affect my weight loss. I have a case of the "lack ofs"...lack of sleep, lack of time to exercise, and lack of willpower to step away from the double stuffs. Also I enjoy eating....I enjoy eating good food. And very often that good food is not reallly good for me. Adding to the poor body image...I was the smallest I had ever been in my adult life before I got pregnant again. I was very dedicated to eating right and was running atleast 5 times a week. I was training for a half marathon at the time and was getting in great shape. With that in the back of my mind, I feel hopeless because I do not have the time to commit to that type of regimen. Plus I'm still nursing so I can' t go too crazy with my diet. I am going to have to get creative with my exercise plan. Maybe I can sneak in some walking time during lunch. Doing workout videos in the living room is not really feasible so that is kind of out.

I'm hoping I can gain some insight that will jump start me into motion. And to those who are closest to me (at the dinner table) I'll need your help and support!!

Night and Day

While we were in Nederland we saw our dear friends Jeremy and Leeza. We have been friends with them for a long time. It is always so good to see them. We can not talk for weeks or even months (don't think we have ever done that) and we don't seem to miss a beat. After they left I got to thinking about the different paths we have taken. Hubs and I with the 3 kids and Jeremy and Leeza with no kids. As I was putting the kids to sleep I was thinking about the distinct differences in our chosen lifestyles.

Them--They went out for a nice dinner...
Us--Nice, I haven't had dinner and I'm wearing the kids' dinner.

Them--Time to dedicate to exercise and diet (which I have to say they both look amazing!!)
Us--Eat while holding an 8 lb baby-bel and doing the bouncing walk (does that count for strengthening our core?)

Them--Bright eyed and bushy tailed
Us--Puffy eyed and draggin tail

Them--Nice clean freshly pressed clothes
Us--Freshly spit up on clothes

Them--Getting lei-ed in Hawaii this summer
Us--Got laid and had a baby this summer

Our paths have gone different ways but that doesn't mean they have gone separate ways. I think they are more like parallel paths. At any given time we can look over at each other and sneak a peek at the other life. And we can appreciate each other and our friendship.

Nederland.......

I can distinctly remember riding in the back of the car driving through my parents' hometown and listening to all the "Remember this...remember that." I used to roll my eyes and sit there patiently as I listened to the same stories over and over again. I feel like I grew up in Muskogee in the 60s!!

But when I return to what I consider my hometown I find myself doing the same thing. Since we moved around a lot during my childhood for my dad's job. No he wasn't a drug lord fleeing from authorties or a skirty business man jumping from one scheme to the next. He worked for a company that builds power plants so we were always moving from job to job. I consider "home" to be Nederland. That is where I graduated from high school and I went to college 10 minutes from there. This is also were I met Hubs.

Anyway....each time we come back to Nederland there is a sense of nostalgia. When we drove to an old friend's house last night, we pointed out this person's house or the business that used to be there. It is almost like you can picture yourself washing your car at the car wash where you got stranded because your alternator went out. Or remember senior night at the football game where your parents walked you across the field as your name was being called as you pass by the stadium. This little town has many many memories for me and I only lived here for 6 years. I can't imagine the magnitude of memories it has for Hubs who lived here until he was 23.

He wants to move back here pretty bad. Mostly because his family is here. I would not mind moving back here but would need to convince my parents to move too. (hint hint!!)

Mother May I??

"What makes a good mother?" The question was rolling around in my head so I did what you do when you don't know something...I googled it.

Here's one list that I found...
1. Treats each child as an individual. A good mother realizes that every child is not the same.
2. A good mother helps their child set out on their own path.
3. A good mother is one that is willing to "listen, and listen, and listen."
4. One of the hardest things a good mother must be willing to do is to show disapproval when she feels that the child has done something wrong, even though by doing so she may risk rejection from her child.
5. A good mother is willing to stand up for her own beliefs. And in doing so earn the right to have and keep her child's respect.

I really like #1 especially as I have seen how night and day Buggers and Bubby are this summer. Their personalities have presented themselves quite loud and proud!! I suspect #4 becomes harder as your kids get older. At the kids ages right now I imagine they think I'm way cool and the best person to be around. I know that time is short as they become older.

I wasn't quite satisfied with that list so again I turn to google in search of the answer....

This list is alittle more what I was looking for...

Characteristics of a Good Parent
1. A good listener:
As parents, we sometimes are quick to judge our child's actions or choice of words, that we do not hear their cries for love, attention, or help. We should listen to their feelings, reactions, and opinions. Try to understand their point of view. Look at them when they are talking to show that you are hearing their every word. Put down that book, turn off that television, stop what you are doing and listen!

2. A good example:
We should treat our kids as our equals and not as subordinates. The "do as I say and not as I do" mentality doesn't work. Teach your child how to be responsible, caring, a hard worker, patient, etc by exhibiting those characteristics within yourself. It's not too late for you to do so.

3. Makes time for the family:
It's true that many of us have to work to provide our family with the essentials. In doing so, remember that material things cannot substitute love and quality time from a parent. Your child should know that they are important to you. They should not have to compete against your job. The position and title that you hold and your job cannot be passed on, but the love, the traditions, and time put into your family can be carried throughout generations.

4. Get involved in your child's life.
Respect their interests, do not down play them as mediocre. Share in some of the activities you enjoy. Become familiar with the current trends. It may be a little different than what you're used to, but that doesn't mean you can't learn to at least respect it.

5. Displays unconditional love:
Love your child no matter what. Never allow them to have a doubt in their minds of your love for them. At times they may disappoint you, anger you, or even disrespect you, but even during those times they should know that they are loved by you. No one is perfect, we've all made mistakes and will continue to. Shower those imperfections with love.

As "new" parents we are all on this uncharted path of uncertainty. Uncertain we are doing things right and not adding to that therapy bill they will have when they are adults. Molding our children in the right direction is hard when you don't see the benefits right away. With our little ones being so young you often wonder if you are being a positive influence at all. Especially when they are throwing a temper tantrum or saying "this sucks". All I can truly hope for is that they become God loving, caring, driven adults who don't blame me and their dad for everything.

Blogging 101

Today I'm at my mother's house helping her with all her computer/blogging questions. She has been wanting me to come over for a while to show her how to do a few things. I have to say my mom has some pretty good computer skills.

We started off by trying to change her backgroud on her blog. We are currently up to 3 different background because she finds something wrong with them.

"There's no room for clutter. It looks like finger smudges. I can't handle it. Take it off...take it off!!"

This one was rejected for the frayed ribbon.

"I HATE the black...change that and it is good."

After about an hour of searching for a new background...where did we end up? With the background she started with...lol!! Gotta love it!

No Impact

For one year, my wife, my 2-year-old daughter, my dog and I, while living in the middle of New York City, are attempting to live without making any net impact on the environment. In other words, no trash, no carbon emissions, no toxins in the water, no elevators, no subway, no products in packaging, no plastics, no air conditioning, no TV, no toilets…


Could you do this????

This is an excerpt from the blog of No Impact Man. He dedicated one year of his family's life to making no impact on our environment. I began watching his documentary last night and it really made me think about some things. Funny thing is Hubs and I were just talking about this last weekend on our trip to OK. Well let me correct....I was talking about it and he was listening graciously.

How much of an impact of you making on our world?
I'm not some big environmentalist tree hugger who would forego toilet paper to make it a greener world. But I am a recycling, non littering, waste not person who cares about the world I live in. I am pretty adament on two things when it comes to being environmentally conscious...littering and recycling. I have been an avid recycler for many years now. I get so excited when I our big recycle rolling can is 2/3 full each week and our trash can only has 2 bags of trash in it. I think it is pretty amazing that for a family of 5 we only produce 2 bags of trash a week. And yearly that is over 100 bags...But I wonder how I could reduce that by becoming a more conscious consumer. For example, a pitcher of lemonade only produces one small cup for the powder that is recycled versus 10 juice boxes that are not. The packaging that our products come in can be pretty wasteful. Just think about how much trash there is in a value meal at a fast food restaurant...the wrapper for the burger, the carton for the fries, cup, straw, straw wrapper, napkins, ketchup packets, and the bag. That is alot when you break it down that way.

Don't get the wrong idea that I'm going to start becoming some crazy environmental nut...I just want to make less of an impact on our world with my trash and more of an impact with my thoughts and actions.

**If you haven't seen the documentary of No Impact Man it is worth the time. You can find atleast one thing that you could apply to your household (hopefully NOT the absense of toilet paper). Just something to think about....

Baby Brain

It is not from the euphoria of the sweet new bundle of joy...it is from sheer sleep deprivation. I can't even remember what I had for lunch yesterday, let alone what I did last Monday. I feel like I'm a walking zombie on some days. I feel like my gas tank light is always on...screaming EMPTY. Don't get me wrong I get sleep but I don't ever get that deep dreamy sleep. Overall June Bug is a good sleeper. It could definitely be worse. She will sleep for 4-5 hours at a time at night. But the problem lies in that one or both of my other kids aren't asleep yet so I have to wait for them to go to bed. Then I'm missing out on sleep while June Bug is sleeping.

I go back to work in a little over a week and I wonder how I will handle baby brain at work...