Lily - 4 Years!

Well, my little Goose is four years old.  It's so hard to believe that she just has 1.5 years until she's in kindergarten.  She's always been so grown acting, but lately, it's like she's growing up right before my eyes.  At four, Lily:

-doesn't really like to be called Goose anymore..well Goose is okay, but Lily Goose is not
-definitely has an opinion on what she wears daily (if she's worn it once, it's old) and how she wears her hair (only in a braid or ponytail)
-weighs 34.2 lbs (50%)
-is 39.25" tall (50%)
-has a BMI of 50%
-still will talk in her sleep.  This can really freak you out because most of the time, her eyes are wide open and she makes complete sense with what she's saying
-is quick to boss her brothers around, but she has a soft spot for Hattie and will usually give Hattie her way with everything
-wears size 4T/4 clothes and size 10 shoes
-sleeps from about 8:30 pm - 6:30/7:00 am.  She will take a nap, but doesn't really like to
-her favorite color is pink
-loves ballet, coloring and anything Frozen
-even though her birthday was less than a week ago, she's already asking how many more days until her next one!

I love this little girl more than I ever thought possible.  She's sassy, rambunctious, and kind-hearted..all rolled into one little ball of fun.

Growing Up

I guess I knew this day would come, but still, I'm not ready.  Yesterday, while talking about a little girl at school with Chris, Landon's ears, very obviously, perked up.  When asked did he think she was pretty, Landon, for the first time, said yes.  We still had to convince him multiple times that it was okay to think a little girl was pretty.  Just because you think that doesn't mean that you're going to end up marrying her.  But still, he showed interest in a little girl and that makes me so sad because that means my baby is growing up!  I don't know if I'm ready for all that.  I just like him to be my baby forever!  It seems like it was just yesterday that he was born and I was struggling to figure out the whole parenting thing.  He's been such a good child from day one.  I've never had any problems from him.  He's definitely a typical "first born" - perfectionist, takes care of everyone, loving.  I can't believe that he's already in fourth grade and hearing that a little girl was pretty was just a reminder that we'll be figuring out the whole dating thing before I know it.  That made me realize that parenting never really gets easier, it's just that once you think you have something figured out, you move onto a different struggle.

Hattie - 18 Months!

Hattie Girl turned 18 months at the end of September.  Time has flown by faster and faster with each child.  It's crazy that she'll be hitting the 2 year mark before long!  She is such a little love muffin and loves to snuggle and give both Eskimo and regular kisses to you.  When she does, there's usually a loud MUAH that goes along with it.  She's the most laid-back baby that I've ever known, but I guess being the baby of 4 will do that to you. At 18 months, Hattie:

-weighs 22 lbs, 15 oz (30th percentile)
-is 30.25" (15th percentile)
-has a head circumference of 46.3 cm (44th percentile)
-finally moved up to size 5 diapers
-wears 18 to 24 month clothes, depending on how it's made
-sleeps from about 7:30 pm to 7:30 am on the weekends and during the week, it's whenever she can get to sleep (depending on practices and game for the boys) until 7:00 am when I wake her up
-takes about a 2.5 - 3 hour nap daily
-has 11 teeth (finally!)
-is in the Toddler 2 room at school
-still clings to that paci (she chooses which one she wants everyday and when she goes to sleep at night)
-is starting to cling to her "baby" (exactly what Nixon used to call his lovey too)
-loves shoes!
-loves to dance..she does it every time you turn the music on

Hattie is such a great balance to our family.  She's definitely a true baby of the family and gets spoiled by everyone..especially her brothers and sister.  Hattie May, I love you much and couldn't imagine our family without you in it!

PC: Dana Ashlyn Photography

Nixon - 7 Years!

It's hard to believe that my little Butterbean is 7 years old already!  He still loves life more than anyone I know.  There's really not much that will take a smile off of his face.  We finally convinced him to play a sport this fall.  He chose flag football as his first team sport and he did really good.  He learned a lot just in the couple of months that they were playing.  I was hoping that would convince him to play more sports, but so far it's a no-go.  He is not very competitive and would rather just play with his toys or friends than to be on a team.  And that's perfectly fine with me, but I am glad that he at least had the "team experience" at least once.  At 7 years old, Nixon:

-is 48 lbs (7th percentile)
-is 47" tall (25th percentile)
-wears size 7 or 8 clothes (youth small works in shirts, but the pants are always long on him!)
-wears a size 13.5 or 1 shoe depending on the brand
-still loves to play with Ninja turtles, power rangers or any action figure he can find.  He has the best imagination and doesn't have to have anyone playing with him to have a good time
-is in 1st grade 
-is learning to read so well this year.  He got the basics last year, but I'm starting to notice he can read road signs or billboards now if he really tries
-loves to dance
-has neon green and black as his favorite colors
-never meets a stranger.  Everyone quickly becomes his best friend
-is usually not a morning person and he gets really mad if Landon sleeps through the alarm in the morning 

Nixon is definitely one of those kids that will make you slow down in life.  He doesn't do anything in a hurry but with a love for life like he has, it's hard to stay mad at that little face!

PC: Dana Ashlyn Photography

Landon - 9 Years!

How is it possible for me to have a 9 year old?  I really can't believe it!  This was the last birthday before the double digits and Landon has completely lost all of his baby features.  They've probably been gone for a while, but when you look over and your son is almost as tall as you, it kind of kicks you in the butt and you see all those changes you've been ignoring.  At 9 years old, Landon:

-weighs 64.4 lbs.
-is 4 ft, 7 in (he has grown 3 inches in the past couple of months!)
-is in 4th grade
-is playing flag football, basketball & baseball (he played on his first all-star team this past summer)
-wants to be a football player when he grows up
-his favorite colors are light blue & orange
-has really come out of his shell since we've moved to Wilmington.  He still is relatively reserved and quiet around people that he doesn't know but he is making friends a lot more than he used to.  He'll also not hesitate to leave me to go sit with his friends when we're at ball games, etc. which makes me a little sad, but happy that he's becoming so social

Blog Hop - This is All I Have to Give

It's so funny how God works sometimes.  I've mentioned that this Proverbs 31 study came to my email right when I needed it.  Well, for a while now, I've been feeling like such a failure in everything I do, but especially this past week. Then, what is one of the topics this week, but 'This is All I Have to Give'.  I think I said those exact words to Chris just a couple of days ago.  Sometimes, as a mom, especially a working mom, you feel pulled in so many directions.  You miss all those sweet moments with your kids while you're working and then by the time you get home, the trials of the day have you so worn down that you can't enjoy the moments you have left before bedtime.  I, personally, have such guilt that decisions I've made are what is keeping my kids from having the life that I would love for them to have. You know, if I wouldn't have gotten credit cards, I'd have more money for family trips, etc.  These little things can eat away at you if you let them. 

In my conversation with Chris, I was telling him that I'm just tired and I feel like I'm at my breaking point.  I don't feel like I can handle much more.  Not only that, the things that I am trying to do - pay off debt, pass the CPA exam, lose weight, make memories that my kids will remember forever - seems like those never happen either.  I feel like I try to do so much that nothing gets done.  

• Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails - Proverbs 19:21
• Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed - Proverbs 16:3

Lysa states, "Remember that everything that happens to you is first filtered through God's hand.  What you might see as distractions, God might see as divine appointments."  Whew!  That puts things into perspective.  That will make you take a step back and realize, maybe I'm not by myself at all.  I don't need to shoulder the burden alone.  So, this week, I'm going to try to take a step back and enjoy the here and now.  I don't need to compare my life to those around me.  God has created me to be the moma to my four wonderful babies.  I'm the Mom that He had planned for them and that's good enough for me!

Being a Mom is Tough (Blog Hop)

I think when we become a mom, we're under the impression that it's all lovey, dovey, piece of cake.  It doesn't take long for you to realize it's anything but a fairy tale.  At least, if you're being honest anyway.  I know there are some moms out there that are always talking about how everything is perfect, couldn't be better.  Personally, I don't buy it.  But who knows, maybe they're just trying to speak it to existence!  

Lately, with four kids, a husband that works non-stop, along with my job and trying to study for the CPA exam, I feel like my job as a mom is getting pushed to back burner.  I. Hate. That.  Let me tell you, when Satan knows a weakness in your armor, that's where he attacks.  I've been having plenty of pity parties..you know the kind where if you would've just done this differently, life would be perfect right now.  I'm constantly feeling pulled in 20 directions.  To the point of just bursting into tears from the mom guilt of it all.  

That is the reason I enrolled into this online study of "Am I Messing Up My Kids" by Lisa TerKeurst.  I'm hoping that this study will help me re-align and realize that everything is going to be okay.  And maybe, just maybe my kids will be okay.  

My number one goal in life is to raise happy, healthy kids that love life and all it has to offer.  I want them to look back at their childhood and be completely happy with all their memories.  I know, that seems like a tall order.  Reading the book, I came across a sentence that completely stuck with me.  It was just what I needed.
      
"You are a good mom, my friend...even if like me you've had a few bad moments.  You are exactly the mom God knew your children needed.  Let's live in that truth today."

If I don't learn anything else from that study other than that sentence, it will be worth it to have participated.  That's exactly what this momma needed to hear.  

Hattie - 15 Months!

Well, little Hattie-girl is 15 months old!  Hard to believe it!  Seems like just yesterday that she was my (not-so) teeny, tiny baby.  At 15 Months, Hattie:

-weighs 21 lbs, 10 oz (30%)
-is 29" long (11%)
-has a head circumference of 46.2 (58%)
-wears size 4 diapers 
-wears 18 mth clothes
-wears size 4 shoes (she has itty bitty baby feet still)
-has 6 teeth
-loves to wrestle.  If the boys are wrestling, she's quick to jump right in the middle
-finally started walking..she can go everywhere now and does.  Although, every once in a while, she decides that crawling may be faster. 
-has started really talking, saying mama, dada, no, yes, bubba (for Landon or Nixon), and Lily.  She'll also imitate most anything if she's in a good mood
-sleeps from 7:30 - 8:00 pm until 8:00-10:00 am.  Chris has also gotten her in the habit of taking 3 hour naps during the day
-eats like a hog.  I think the girl would eat all day, every day if you'd let her.  Her favorite snack is animal crackers
-is finally getting hair long enough for a hair bow.  She's really working on a little baby mullet so I'm thinking it's time for her first trim soon 
-loves the beach.  We've been multiple times this year and she'll crawl right into the water and waves if we let her.  She also loves to play in the sand.  She'll play non-stop.  
-since we've been to the beach so much, she has the cutest little tan lines and baby girl has a pretty good tan going on.  
-has plenty of nicknames: Patty, Patty-Wheeze, Wheezy, Pumpkin-head, Monkey, Pat, & Hattie-girl

I love this little girl more than life itself.  She has so much personality already and has definitely fit right in with our little family.  She's the baby and I'm pretty sure she already knows how to work that card.  I can't wait to see what the next few months hold as she starts to talk and interact more with her siblings.  Hattie-girl, I love you to the moon and back!

20 Things I Haven't Thanked You For (but I probably should have)...

Sometimes we get so used to having people around..we forget that we should be thanking them for all the crap they put up with..we just assume they know..but just in case, here are 20 things that I definitely should be thanking my hubby for:

1.  Thank you for always working so hard for our family.  We've been married for 11 years now and I think there are only about 4-5 months in that time when you have had only ONE job.  The other 10 years, 7 months, you've had at least two..as much as four or five (I can't remember which).  You are a little bit of a workaholic, but you've mainly done this because you wanted to provide all that you were able to so that we could have everything we wanted, not just what we needed. 

Speaking of working so much, 

2.  Thank you for constantly trying to get me on a budget.  I warned you in college that my professor told me that accountants are horrible at budgeting their own funds, but great at managing everyone else's.  I'm not sure you believed that at that point, but I've managed to make you a believer!  You've stuck with me and I think I'm finally seeing the light..even though I don't want to!  6 months in to finally sticking to a modified budget and we're making awesome strides to be debt free!  I wish I would've listened to you all those years ago, but you know me...always stubborn! 

3.  Thank you for always putting up with my moody ways..and we know I am the queen of mood swings!  Especially when it comes to being stuck in the house..this is the #1 reason I couldn't be a stay-at-home mom.  If you spot one coming one, you'll usually make me leave, either with a random ride to look for houses or to just ride around.  

4.  Thank you for laughing at my corny jokes.  I usually make no one but myself laugh, but you always laugh with me (I'm assuming more AT me than WITH me, but nonetheless...)

5.  Thank you for always encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone.  You know I can't stand to take risks, but you always bug me encourage me until I do it.  It may take 30 minutes (ahem, jumping off that humongous rock in Hawaii) but I always do it and then feel so proud of myself. 

6.  Thank you for always being willing to move when the mood struck me. We've been married for 11 years, and we've managed to live in 6 houses. We've moved so many times that we have an awesome system down in which you pack everything and I unpack everything..works out great!

7.  Thank you for giving me four beautiful kids!  I couldn't imagine our life together without them in the picture.  I honestly can't even remember what it was like when there was just two, let alone none!  

8.  Thank you for being such an awesome Daddy!  It started out the day that Landon was born.  You changed your very first diaper while I died laughing watching it all play out.  You've always been very hands-on and you could always get them to sleep so much better than me.  I couldn't do this whole parenting thing without you by my side.  

9.  Thank you for buying me little surprises.  You know that gifts are my love language and you try your best to surprise me with little gifts..from love notes in my lunch bag to glass bottle Pepsi. 

10. Thank you for going along with all my picture ideas.  You're not a big picture fan, but you know that I am and you usually go along with my plans even if we did just take a family picture the day before.  

11. Thank you for always cutting up my steak for me.  You know I've never really learned how to use a knife correctly and that I hate to do it, so you always do it for me..you even do the kids which means you're tired by the time you get to your plate.

12. Thank you for not getting mad when I got in my wreck.  You've complained about how I follow cars too closely for 15 years now, so you had every right to say, "I told you so," but you didn't.  

13. Thank you for not only showing our girls what kind of man that they should look for when the time comes for them to date, but also for showing our boys what kind of man to be.  You're awesome in all ways that count and I couldn't have found a more perfect person for me.  

14. Thank you for always listening to me rant about things that are of absolutely NO importance to you.

15. Thank you for being there for me, always on my side, even when no one else is.  

16. Thank you for always making sure that we spend equal time with both my family and your family on holidays.  It's hard during the holidays to try to get everything done but we always manage with no stress.

17. Thank you for looking forward to my crazy "traditions" as much as I do. You've even started to look for new ones for our family and I love you for it!

18. Thank you for always going to find whatever my craving of the moment was when I was pregnant.  I know you didn't always want to go to the store during nap time to get a Pepsi and snickers or ice cream or salsa and chips, but you always did. 

19. Thank you for doing baths, and supper and homework on those nights that you knew I just couldn't handle it anymore.  You're always there to pick up my slack without me even having to ask.

20. Thank you for being you.  You know how to look at me, what to say and what to do to make me feel like I'm the most important thing in the world and I Love You!!

What You Never Knew About Becoming a Mom

You know, there are some things nobody tells you before you become a mom..some of them are probably because nobody would want to do it..but some of them, you just have to experience for yourself.  In honor of Mother's Day, I've compiled a list of things I never knew before I joined the club.

• Your pregnancy will be awful the first trimester..good for about 2-3 months..and then awful again.  I will say, I'm one of the strange ones that absolutely LOVED being pregnant all four times..but there were definitely some trying times during all four..especially Hattie..I think when you're pregnant with your last child, it has to be especially miserable so you'll know you're done!
• If you have postpartum (which I did with my first two), it consumes you so much that you can't even function.  You have thoughts that make you feel like the most horrible person in the world and you just want your pre-baby life back (which makes the depression, and crying even worse). This is a feeling that you'll never forget and you can automatically detect it in other new mothers, even when they're trying their best to hide it..it's like a secret society where you just understand and it makes you feel your pain all over again for them.  
• Once the postpartum lifts, you're consumed with a love so crazy that even you can't comprehend it.  But then some days, you just feel guilty for having the baby blues to start with and wonder what kind of bonding you missed during that time..
• Guilt, guilt, guilt....it never really ends, you just kind of learn to deal with it.  
• You're always pretty sure you're worst mother ever and that you'll never get yourself together again..but then another person (a mother possibly) will tell you that they don't know how you do it all and it just affirms your self-worth and that maybe, possibly, you know what you're doing after all
• Sometimes you will look at your kids, or a picture of your kids, or even just think about them and you'll feel a love for them that's so strong, you just want to cry
• Time will feel like it's standing still when the baby won't stop crying, and you've got two or three more that are trying your patience and then you'll blink and the oldest is almost 9 (with no baby features left) and you wonder how time flew by so fast
• You feel like you're still a kid yourself, until you have one that has so much energy it makes you tired to just listen to them talk
• Kids consume so much of your life that sometimes you lose touch with people that you think are friends...the true friends understand (probably because they're in the mommy club too) and you can text or call them after a few months of not talking at all and it's like you never lost touch
• All you want is a night to yourself, without giving baths, bedtime routines..but when you get it, you feel lost and worry that before long, they won't need you
• You can stay up all night with a sick child and not even feel tired because of the worry that consumes you..adrenaline just kind of kicks in..but when that child has turned the corner and is feeling better, you feel like you've run a marathon and the exhaustion is intense

And the best thing...you'll always have a piece of you and your husband wrapped into this tiny individual,that you get to help shape and mold and it's the most rewarding experience to see them blossom and grow!!

Hattie - 12 Months!!

How is it even possible for my little baby to be 1 already!?!  I just can't even handle it! She's such a little love muffin and definitely a moma's girl (which I LOVE)!!  At 1 year old, Hattie:

-weighs 19 lb, 1 oz (18%)
-is 28 1/4 in long (22%)
-head circumference is 45 cm (48%)
-wears 12-18 month clothes, depending on cut/style
-wears size 4 diapers
-finally is drinking from a sippy cup consistently!!  All it took was some chocolate milk :)
-sleeps from 7 pm - 7 am
-takes a 2 hour nap every day
-can sign 'more' and 'all done'
-says moma, dada, and bye bye
-makes kissy noises at you when you're leaving
-will cry some mornings when I put her down at daycare and will grin and wrinkle her nose at me as soon as I pick her back up (little stinker)
- loves her sister and brothers (especially when they're giving her their undivided attention)
-loves to swing (her favorite..she giggles the whole time)
-loves ravioli and bananas
-has absolutely NO interest in walking..she'd rather be carried everywhere (like a little princess should)

At Hattie's one year old well check, we talked about her weight.  It has continued a steady decline on her percentile range.  She started out so big, but has turned into a petite little peanut.  The doctor is not worried yet (she still has "strong" AKA chunky thighs and she eats NON-STOP!), but she has to eventually even out.  Her head circumference and length has stayed the same so they want to make sure that her weight growth does as well.  Her iron was also on the low side so they want to monitor that.  Part of the problem with her weight and iron is that she can't tolerate whole milk, therefore she has to drink almond milk.  It basically doesn't have the nutrients and calories that whole milk would.  She said that we can supplement her almond milk with a supplement that would increase her calcium and other vitamins that she would normally get from the whole milk.  Overall, a good appointment and she actually didn't cry with the doctor this time!

Hattie's 1st Birthday - Mad Hatter Style

Hard to believe my little baby girl is the big O-N-E already!  This year has flown by like nothing I've ever seen.  I'm not going to lie, I had her first birthday party planned out as soon as I found out I was having a girl because I knew Hattie was the name we had picked for a girl.  I even went so far as to have a secret Pinterest board so people wouldn't think I was crazy.  The only three people who knew about it were Chris (of course), my friend Kim (because she's a crazy party planner too) and my SIL Alex (hey, you made it to the blog!). Anyway, on to the party details...

The birthday outfit

The entrance

Mushrooms

Photo props

 The awesome cake

 Smash cake set to her birth time

 11 Months of my baby girl!

 She loved opening her gifts!

 She did not hesitate when it was time to eat!

I had so much fun planning everything for this party and I think everything turned out great.  We kept it pretty small with just family and close friends so that we could really celebrate our little love muffin.  I am just in awe of what a great baby she is.  She fits in perfectly with our little family and I can't imagine what it was like before she was a part of our family.  

This Season of Life...I'm Over It! (Right now at least...)

You ever have those days/weeks/months where you give all you can and you just feel like it's not enough. Yeah, me either..but if I did..this is what it would sound like..

I want to pass the CPA Exam, but right now I don't seem to be able to find the time that I need to study in order to pass it.  I'm still trying but it feels like one of those unattainable goals that will never happen.

I want to be the best mom that I can be and give all four of my kids my undivided attention, but that just doesn't happen.  There's homework to do, supper to cook, clothes to wash when all I really want to do is cuddle.  I know, I know..those things will be there tomorrow but let's face it, tomorrow will be the same with more things to do.  

I want to lose weight and get in shape, but I just don't have the time or motivation to stick with a diet and exercise.  And, when I do, nothing seems to happen so I get really discouraged.  

These are just my top three things going on in my head right now.  I feel so discouraged and I'm basically having a pity party.  I feel like there are so many things going on in my life right now that have no organization and that I can't seem to control and that drives my OCD-personality crazy!  Where's that warm sandy beach with no worry other than what book to read when you need it?  

Hattie - 11 Months!

My baby is 11 months!  Where has the time gone?  When I want it to go slow, it seems to pick up speed like crazy! Hattie is the sweetest little baby there is!  She is so fun and happy-go-lucky.  But when she's mad, watch out!  She can't throw a fit with the best of them already! In fact, she was throwing a fit tonight in the bath tub because I took her letter from her.  When she slammed her head in between her legs like she normally does, her complete face went into the water. Then, she looked at me like I had pushed her in.  It was priceless!

At 11 months, Hattie:
-is wearing size 4 diapers
-is wearing 12-18 month clothes, depending on style/fit
-is down to 3 bottles a day (8 oz).  She'll be cutting those in the next month
-is down to 1 nap a day, but is finally taking a good nap when she lays down (usually 1.5 - 2 hours)
-is sleeping from 7:00 pm - 7 am
-is cruising along on furniture and pulling up on anything she can get her hands on
-has learned "please" and "all done" in sign language
-finally is saying "mama" consistently
-loves to wrestle with anyone who gets on the floor with her
-has moved to the 1-yr old room at daycare
-eats table food at every meal (she LOVES bananas)
-is still the sweetest little love muffin ever!!
-nicknames: Patty, Daweeze, Hattie Lou, Hattie Girl

First vs. the Last

I've been thinking lately how different things are from the first baby you have until you have that last one.  It's crazy how much I've changed as a parent from Landon to Hattie.  When Landon was born, I thought he had to have everything..he was wearing shoes at 3 weeks old, eating baby food at 2 months old and in his own crib/room completely across the house from us at 2 weeks old.  Now, don't get me wrong, some of those changes were just because he was ready (the boy was starving and would not sleep unless he was behind closed doors in his room), but most of his changes were because I was so ready to see the next step and I was ready to see what he could do.  With each child, I've gotten a little more laid back.  I have noticed the most changes with Hattie because she is my last baby.  I know I don't have a chance for these snuggles and baby smells anymore after this.  Well, at least not for many, many years when my babies start having babies (did I mention MANY years??). When Hattie was born, I felt so cheated because she never got to stay in my hospital room with me (because of her sugar levels).  I mean, this was my last chance, but I'm more than making up for it now.  No, she didn't have shoes until she was at least 7 months old and then it was really just to keep her feet warm..she didn't eat ANY baby food until she was 4 months old, and I'm letting her keep that paci until at least 2 years old if she wants it!  I rocked her to sleep every night until she was 10 months old because this is my last baby to rock to sleep.  I didn't do that with the other kids.  It was so important to me to get those healthy sleep patterns down.  Hattie also slept in our room (in her own crib) until 6 months old.  I'd honestly have more kids if I knew Chris wouldn't have a meltdown, but even if I did, eventually, there would be a last baby.  Every little milestone is like a nail in my babyhood days and I can't help but be sad about it.  Even though I'm excited to see her as a toddler and to start school like her brothers, I still find myself getting a little misty-eyed as I give her a bottle.  She is weaning off of them now and will be done within the month.  Do I like washing the bottles every night and buying formula?  Absolutely not, but I love that close connection to her every time she has one.  It's almost unfair how much love and attention the baby of the family gets, but I know it's just a different type of connection than what I have with the other three.  There will definitely come a day when she hates being the baby and hates me loving all over her because she's my last little one, but right now she eats it up and she loves her momma with a fierceness.  I can't help but love her right back!!

Monday, Monday...

To tell you how my day has been, I have to go back to the beginning of last week.  I decided, let's go on a diet.

Mistake #1.

Anyway, I drank over 80 oz of water 5 days last week, stayed under my calories all but one day (only 100 over that day), had a healthy diet shake 5 of those mornings instead of breakfast, went 3 days without any soft drinks at all.  Good, huh?

Fast forward to this morning.  Get on the scale and I'm up 0.2 lb!  What in the world?!  Moments like these make you go crazy.  Fast forward about an hour.  I'm getting Hattie dressed, changing her diaper, etc.  She had pooped so I reach for the wipes and in that 2 seconds, she rips the diaper off, poop slinging on the floor and everywhere else.  Lily looks at her and says, "Pattie, you don't poop in your pants and on the floor.  You poop in the potty.  That's disgusting."

Moral of this story..if your Monday starts out with you gaining weight after a week of big time dieting, you should probably just go back to bed to avoid the poop that is sure to follow you..

Transitions

When you become a parent, there are all types of things you start to worry about..things you never even thought about before you had kids.  One of those things for me has been the way we seem to move around.  I tell Chris all the time, we move more than a military family does.  Even though we joke about it, we never make a move without praying about it, talking about it, and considering all the pros/cons for weeks, months, and sometimes even years on end.  Still, with all the thought that we put into it, I still worry that my kids will be sad one day that they moved around so much or that they didn't stay in the same house forever.  I justify it by telling myself that I didn't live in the same house forever either, and I'm perfectly fine and well adjusted.  But still, that nagging thought is there.  Then, something happens to let you know that you're doing okay.  Since we've moved, we've obviously got to find a new church which is always stressful for me, especially with kids.  So, Wednesday night, we take the boys to AWANAS at the church we've been visiting and Landon and Nixon, without hesitation, walk into a room full of kids that they don't know.  They were perfectly comfortable in a room full of strangers.  Nixon even came home telling me that he made a new friend. I know that not all kids could handle that type of situation.  And it's times like these that God tells me, "you're doing okay with this whole parenting thing and not to worry so much."  My children might not be able to say that they've grown up in one house and that they grew up with family right around the corner, but they will be able to grow up confident and strong in themselves and that makes this momma proud!

Mommy Guilt

Mommy guilt..I think it's one of those things you automatically get once you've given birth.  You know, instead of getting that firm stomach back (which let's be honest, mine wasn't that firm to begin with), you're blessed with a guilt that I'm starting to think never goes away.  Once we become moms, we all make a choice..stay at home, do the part-time work/part-time SAHM, or working mom.  If I had a choice, I'd definitely choose the 50/50 deal.  To me, that's the best of both worlds.  Unfortunately, bad decisions which include getting credit cards in college just for the free t-shirt have made me a full-time working mother!  Don't get me wrong..if I had to choose between working or staying at home full-time, I'd definitely choose working.  That's not even where the guilt begins though because I know I, along with my husband and kids, are a lot happier now than they would be if I stayed at home full-time.  I'm not built for that.  I love my family with every breath in me, but I definitely couldn't be a SAHM.  My guilt comes from not the choice of being a working mother, but the choices I have to make because of being a working mom.  Those moments I know I miss when they're babies and growing so much every day..those days when you send them to daycare with a sniffle knowing they'd give anything to stay home and snuggle with you and the parties you miss at school because you can't leave work.  There's also guilt on the other end too when you stay home because they're sick and you feel guilty that you're leaving your co-workers short-handed.  This mom thing - it's definitely not for the faint at heart, but it's the best choice I've ever made!

Hattie - 10 Months

Hard to believe my little butterball is 10 months old.  Before long, she'll be turning a year old and I'm really not looking forward to that.  I'm coming to grips that I'll always want that one last baby, but Hattie is definitely going to be my last.  I have to say, she's a great baby to end on.  Once we got the right formula for her, it's been pretty much smooth sailing.  She definitely has her days that I want to trade her in, but for the most part, she's such a little love muffin, I just can't get enough of her!

At 10 months, Hattie:
-eats (4) 8 oz bottles a day
-has moved to complete table food.  We keep a few jars of Stage 3 fruits in the cabinet just in case.  If she's really hungry, you can't feed her fast enough which does not work well with table food.  That's when the jars of baby food come in handy
-hasn't quite mastered a sippy cup yet.  She can't seem to figure out the concept even though we've tried just about every cup out there
-wears 12 month clothes
-wears size 3 diapers
-loves to head butt just like Landon used to..you have to watch out because she'll do it even when you're not paying attention
-finally started crawling and she takes advantage of it...she's all over the house keeping everyone on their toes
-pulls up on just about everything..including her crib when she doesn't want to take a nap
-has been trying to type with me on this entire post...I think I'll wrap this up so that I can give her my complete attention!!

Hattie - 9 Months

The littlest munchkin is already 9 months old.  It's crazy when you have the first baby, everything seems to drag on.  You want them to grow up so you can experience all those firsts.  Then, when you have the baby, especially when the baby is the 4th baby, you want it to drag on and it flies by!! At 9 months, Hattie:

-weighs 18 lb, 10 oz (53%)
-is 27 in long (35%)
-has a 43.8 head circumference (51%)
-wears size 12 month clothing
-wears size 3 diapers
-drinks four 8 oz bottles a day
-has moved onto stage 3 baby food and usually eats 3 or 4 of those a day
-still goes to sleep around 7-7:30 pm and sleeps until 6:30 or 7:00 am
-can't quite figure out the concept of crawling..she'll get on those knees and rock like crazy but she can't figure out how to move forward and it makes her so mad!
-loves to eat the little Gerber puffs as a snack
-is starting to figure out how to drink out of a sippy cup...we're definitely working on that one!
-can't seem to shake her cold/ear infection..she avoided any kind of sickness until about 7 months but she's been sick since then.  She'll be getting better while on the antibiotic, but as soon as that runs out, it comes right back.  We're currently on her 3rd antibiotic which is supposedly a strong one so hopefully we'll kick this thing in the butt
-finally said "ma-ma" on January 3, 2014!! (made me so happy!)

I just can't get over how much I love this little girl.  She's definitely the apple of her momma's eye..she's so sweet, I just can't get enough!!