On having a two-year-old, daycare and future plans for siblings

I have a two-year-old! Aden turned two July 6th and I'm still amazed at how quickly our time has flown by since we welcomed him into our world. I'm a horrible mom because he hasn't had an official birthday party, yet. Uh oh. Really? Yes, we went to Galveston & Houston for some much needed time away, and then we had one of the most horrible weeks ever, when we put him in daycare for a week, therefore postponing any birthday celebrations.


Daycare...I always said I was never going to do it. All the stigmas that are attached to daycare had me feeling sick just thinking about placing my child in such a place for 10-12 hours a day! And my suspicions actually partially came true when we did decide to place him in one a couple of weeks ago. I picked a daycare in Forney, where we live, for one huge reason - it had web cams. I thought any place that had web cams, where I could watch him throughout the day AND had a pretty darn good curriculum was a win-win situation.

Not.so.much.

I feel bad when I think about it now. I should have taken more time to look at the surrounding daycares. A red flag should have popped up when the director acted nervous and unsure of herself during our tour. All and all? The place was shady. On the "web cam", which was kind of a joke as the picture was horrible and you could barely tell the kids apart, I saw Aden standing around for most of the day. Lost. Being a new toddler in the class you would think the teacher would welcome him into the class and make sure he felt apart of the group. Didn't happen. Another thing? They didn't offer him water. At all. As everyone knows, he's a breastfed baby, still is. He doesn't like cows milk, never has, probably never will. He would come home thirsty beyond belief. It didn't take more than picking him up that last Friday and seeing he had dried snot on his face along with a bite make on his back and I didn't bring him back.

So, the search was on once again. This time I visited every place in Forney. Some were nice, others were scary, and we put down our Registration fee, to hold our spot, on a brand new private school that just opened 6 months ago. I was impressed with the "feel" of the center, it has homey and the kids seemed happy. I was also impressed with the owner and director, she listened to all of our concerns and made us feel very confident that Aden would be receiving the attention he deserves as well as being exposed to their awesome, "award winning," curriculum. And at the end of the day that's what I know he needs. A head start in school with a good curriculum, as well as the Socialization he'll receive from being around the other kids. It's pretty neat to think that the kids he'll being going to daycare (private school) with, are the same kids he'll be going to actual school with. That's why I'm so hell-bent on staying in Forney and giving Aden the stability he needs throughout his youth. I didn't have it in my later youth and that makes me realize just how important it is for Aden to have.

I've been mulling over the thought of another child. For months actually and I just can’t come up with a way to make it work right now. In three years...when I'm....30, James and I will re-visit the idea and make a final decision then. I'm still young and 30 isn't too late of an age to become a mother of two. I get frustrated with working full time and dealing with all the stress that comes along with having a toddler that sometimes I proclaim that I'm not having anymore children! But, the truth is- I'd like to have one more baby. I'd love to be a family of four. Just as long as we're able to live happily with that decision should we decide to have another. I don't want to make life impossible for us in the process. I'd rather have the freedom to do nice things with Aden than to struggle horribly should we have another and the timing isn't just right. So, to that end, the answer is: "We will see".

Being a family of three is just peachy for now!

P.S. I'm still at 112 and totally rockin steady at it. I still want to get to 105 here within the next 30 days. Every time I look in the mirror.. I'M LOVING IT!!! After two years of baby weight it's FINALLY coming off and I'm getting my former (kinda) body back.

A vacation in pictures!

The Man That Loves Em

This dude.. Totally rocks. Did I ever have any doubt that he would be such an amazing father? Nope. It's in him... It's in him down to his very  bones. The thing about my husband? - he loves hard and with all he has. I remember when I was pregnant how he'd talk to Aden and rub on my belly.  At night he'd put his arm around my huge belly and Aden always seemed to give him a little kick..maybe saying: "Get the hell off me" or "Hey, Dad". I'd say they had their own little bond going on before Aden was even born.

Oh, when Aden was born, was there ever a happier father than James? I think not. He thought he was all special and shit because he got to hold him first due to that damned c-section. Obviously, totally my right to hold the baby first! But, at that moment, I couldn't be happier that James finally got to feel what it was like to be so close to that little miracle. Love, isn't a strong enough word.

We were both so very happy and proud that we made this little person 100 % out our love for each other. Just like it was James' turn to hold the baby first, Father's Day is his time to be cherished for what he is, a wonderful, amazing, caring and nurturing Father.

I think I can speak for both Aden and myself, when I say, thank you for everything! You're the worlds best daddy and we love you & appreciate you so much for what you do and who you are to us everyday.

I remember when we came home from the hospital, I wasn't able to do much and was in a great deal of pain from the c-section. James did everything. He changed ALL of Aden's diapers, he handed Aden to me to nurse when he was hungry, then took him back to burp him. He'd clean up the house and make the meals too. He'd walk him around the apartment, bouncing him and talking softly when Aden was fussy.

Now, things haven't changed much at all.

 He still gets up every Saturday & Sunday and takes Aden in the living room to watch cartoons, while letting me sleep in. A trade off, since I've always been the one to get up at night with Aden (Yes, even now at almost 2 yrs old) and let's face it, I'm the only one with the Tit-Ta's so James is no help in that regard. Not unless Aden wants "hairy titty" as James would call it.

So, THANK YOU to the dude, that is a totally awesome father, even after working all week and sometimes coasting on 4 or 5 hrs of sleep. He still makes time to tickle some ribs, play outside, ride the horses, mow the lawn or kick back and watch Monsters for the 1020140th time with his Bubbaloo.

Happy Father's Day and keep on rockin daddy, we love you!

Must be doing something right

I fully expected to NOT be able to reach my goal of 110 by the end of the month, and the start of my vacation. I was doing the low-calorie thing and it was working, just very slowly. At about a pound a week and if I cheated on the weekend, the weight would be right back up a pound or two.

Let me stop right here and explain myself, I don't hate my body. My body has carried and given birth to a nearly 10 lb BEAUTIFUL baby boy and I'm proud of it. I also realize my stomach may never look the same. But, who's to expect the stomach of a 16 year old, when you're pushing 27? I don't. But, I do want to feel confident in my own skin, in a two piece bikini. And since I've been "dieting" and exercising I feel WONDERFUL. You cant understand what certain foods do to your body and how they make you feel physically until you stop eating them.

In the last 3 years I've come a long way. I may have been a smokin 105 three years ago, but I also ate like crap and smoked like a chimney. I'm proud of being smoke free for almost three years. There's a point where I never thought I'd say those words. I don't judge people for smoking,  I know just what kind of hold it has on people. It had on me. I'm just saying it can be done! I have my main motivation sitting at Grandma's right now. My sweet Aden. He's about to be two! He's talking up a STORM. It's still unreal to me and my heart hurts when I think about all the love he has brought into my life. Thank you baby boy, I love you more than the sun does shine and the moon does glow!

Back to the weight loss. It's happening. I'm down to 115 today. HOLLA!! This South Beach diet must be working. Or is it the Seabuckthorn juice that I've been taking going on three days? I'm not sure but I don't have to step on the scale to measure my weight loss. I can see it. My legs are slim, my face is thinner, my stomach is bordering on wanting to be flat. At this rate I'll totally make my deadline. Only down-side, I've lost a huge amount of fat off my ass. I always wanted a J-Lo booty, it just ain't in the cards for me yo. And that's okay too.