GOALS for this week.

I am a slacker lately.
I am going to set 4 goals for the week and see if I can make them happen.

1) Finish Loan Application for getting pre-approved for mortgage.  This needs to happen.  ASAP.

2) Dream of when my back yard looks like this...  Cause reality is really harsh at the moment.  And it is depressing.

 

 3) Hire a cleaning lady to help me out every other week until this house sells.  At this point in time, it is worth me spending the money to hire someone to help.

4)  Spend one on one time with each kid this week.  They are growing up so fast.  I know I struggle with wanting to get everything done, but spending time with them needs to be a priority.  Really. 

I mean, Eddie will be two years old in two months.  He can count to 10 and sometimes 15 or so.  He loves to sing (mostly a mis-mashed combination of "On Top of Spaghetti and Jesus Loves Me", but that is another story...)  I think some time playing blocks would be a good start.  Then maybe we can make a batch of muffins together.  He still loves "cooking". 

Libby will start SCHOOL this fall.  And turn 5 years old.  And take over the world with her bossiness.  Oh, wait.  That last one isn't technically true, but somedays it feels like it is going to happen!  I will take her grocery shopping with me.  She loves it and I actually do really love to have her come with me.  It is like our girl time with each other and she is almost always the sweetest little girl when we go together. 



Remember when Baby Eddie was a baby and had cheeks like this?  Oh my. 

Remember with Elizabeth was little?  The cuteness just doesn't stop with her!!!  Neither does the funny faces!

If I get anything else done past those four things, it is a bonus for the week!

I would like to add a number 5) Watch a Twins game on TV while relaxing with a beverage - but I will have to take a look at the schedule and see if I can make that happen...  I am sure I can fit in at least a few innings!

Gratituesday: The Growing Girl*

Every once in a while it hits me how fast my daughter is growing up.  It honestly feels like this photo was taken just yesterday. 

Elizabeth Constance, 10 weeks old

But, in all actuality, it has been three years since I was drying off this little girl in the photo.  I remember the bath time vividly because it was the night before I went back to work from my maternity leave.  I was terrified of dropping her off at a strangers house the next morning.  The tears just wouldn't stop flowing.  Little did I know, all would be okay and she would come to love going to daycare.  And she has grown into such a beautiful and smart little girl. 



Elizabeth Constance, 3 years old

What a difference three years can make.  I am so excited to see what the next three years holds for this little girl.  I love you little one!

This post is linked to Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Miss Elizabeth

Elizabeth is doing well and is enjoying being able to be outside as much as possible these days.  She LOVES going to the park and says "slide, weeeee!" as she gets ready to go down the slide and even when she sees a slide.

She still loves to ride in her car and it is her preferred method of transportation around town these days.  Luckily with the park a half a block from our house, it isn't too hard to let her enjoy her ride to the park in the car.

She also loves the merry go round in the park.  She doesn't want to hang on much when it is spinning and of course cannot be on it when any other kids are on it, but she still loves spinning around and around and around.

She went on the teeter totter this last time with Dad and had a blast.  She wouldn't sit on the seat, but instead sat on the metal tube.  She was very tipsy, but didn't fall off.  Daddy didn't let her get too high either, so that probably helped. 

We pulled out Elizabeth's pool over the weekend and she and Wesley had a great time cooling off together.  She sure loves the water and wants to play in it every chance she can get.

Elizabeth's New Shoes

After bringing home 3 pairs of shoes to try to make sure the fit and colors were right, we finally decided on a new pair of shoes for Elizabeth.

They are little Keen's!  So cute and she walks so good in them.  They don't really match all her outfits, but she loves them and can almost put them on by herself now.

I love my new shoes Momma and Daddy!

Happy 4th of July

You all have a great 4th of July!  I am going to my Grandpa's house and then to the lake to learn to swim!    Love ~  Elizabeth

The Rash

It is just one thing after another with Elizabeth.

Last night I brought her home from daycare and she developed a rash.
So I guess the roseola virus was the culprit of the high fever.

So little miss "evil crabby bear" went to daycare today.  Not quite sure why she thinks throwing a fit will get us to do what she wants (if we could even begin to know what she actually wants it would be wonderful, at least then we would know what we are saying NO to!).  But apparently she is sleeping the day away there, which is probably just what she needs!!!

Hair

Yesterday morning I get a call from daycare saying Elizabeth's hair is falling out in clumps...

So after two appointments with two different doctors, no answers as to why her hair would mysteriously fall out.  They said maybe it was stress, maybe it was nutritional deficiencies.  They wouldn't even draw blood and do any tests to verify that something wasn't seriously wrong.  They also suggested we bring her back in a week to develop a plan on how to figure out what is wrong with her.  But to make sure she is feeling better when we bring her back.  She hasn't been feeling good for close to five months now.  What on earth makes them think she will be feeling better in another week?

I am really starting to hate conventional doctors. 

A Fever

Elizabeth had a fever all weekend long.  Of course, I am not sure why. 

Saturday morning at about 4 AM was the worst, with it spiking to almost 104 degrees.  I was so scared.  We were able to bring it down fairly fast by having her stand in a tub of cool water and wiping her off with a cool washcloth. 

I was initially thinking it was due to teething, but she wouldn't have had a fever that high just from teething.  Someone at church mentioned that there has been something going around with high fevers and sometimes is accompanied by a rash.  She didn't have a rash, but she is definitely fighting off something with that fever. 

She still isn't eating well, and of course with the fever, doesn't want to eat at all. 

Luckily last night we were able to keep the fever away with medicine, but it will be back to the doctor as soon as we can make another appointment.  We did send her to daycare today, so hopefully we can get into the doctor this afternoon to see if there is something else we can do to help her out. 

Home Repairs Update

Elizabeth had another bad bout of coughing last night.  I don't know what brought it on, so we will continue to try and figure it out.  One day at a time.  She had been doing so much better without any gluten, but now I am not sure what is going on.  Hopefully tonight will be better.

The drywall was removed from the bathroom this weekend (along with the toilet and sink) and the mold was killed.  It turned out to be a very small bit of mold, just in the corner of the bathroom, which we are thankful for.  We also were able to add two return air ducts to the main floor of the house.  One to the living room and one to the kitchen.  Hopefully these will help with the air circulation. 

William also repaired the kitchen floor, so the refrigerator is back in it's "home" rather than in the middle of the kitchen.  I am excited to go home and see how beautiful it will look again.  Plus, to start cooking again will be wonderful!

Now it is time to do a top to bottom cleaning of the house.  This is planned for Saturday.  All day.  Constantly working to get it done.  Hopefully we will make good progress!  I am so excited to get back to my home and start working on making sure it is a safe, healthy place for our family to be! 

Elizabeth's New Mattress

Elizabeth's new mattress arrived today.  We purchased this one for her.  Hopefully it will help her sleep soundly without the added chemicals that conventional crib mattresses have sprayed on them for fire retardants.   Thankfully, this mattress will also be able to be used in her toddler bed when she is ready to move to a big girl bed! 

Since it is raining today, tonight calls for an indoor activity.  Maybe we will go buy new sheets for her mattress.   Maybe we should look at less toxic choices for disposable diapers because our daycare will not allow us to use her cloth ones.  Maybe we should just stay in and have a picnic on the living room floor as it would be a lot less expensive!

Elizabeth is spending time with Grandma Sue this week and most likely most of next week.  They are having such a grand time that I hardly feel needed!  That is both a blessing and makes me feel a little sad at the same time. 

The Health of Our Home

Elizabeth and I have temporarily moved out of our home until we can resolve the issues that she is having with her health.  We plan to be out of the house for at least three weeks to see if her body can start to heal itself (with the aid of some good probiotics, protein powder and an herbal supplement prescribed by her naturopath physician).  William is still at home with the animals for a week before we can all move to a place in the city together for two weeks.  After that, we don't have anything lined up, but will most likely need to find something else for at least a few more weeks while we continue to work on the house.

We need to remove some mold from the basement bathroom and then figure out some options for air purification system(s) for the main floor (she seems to be having reactions from the carpet?) and for her bedroom.  We also need to purchase a new organic wool mattress for her as she is sensitive to her conventional crib mattress and bedding.  There are also some other changes that need to be made such as a air exchanger for our furnace, a HEPA rated vacuum cleaner, and some serious cleaning to remove dust. 

Hopefully these changes will allow her to return to our home a healthy and happy little girl.  She didn't have a coughing fit last night for the first time in many nights.  I didn't get much sleep as she slept in bed with me, but at least she slept!

A Visit with Great Grandma

Elizabeth and Great Grandma Donna

Elizabeth and I took some time off after Christmas and took one day to go and visit with Great Grandma (since we were not able to make it to her house for Christmas Dinner on Christmas day).  It was actually really nice because I was able to sit and visit with her and we were able to share a wonderful afternoon together. 

Wanting to get up on Mommy's lap!

I was running late that morning so I stopped and bought two chicken sandwiches on my way to her house and we had a light lunch then I enjoyed some coffee and cookies later in the afternoon.  They were of course her famous roll out sugar cookies and she packaged up a small bag for me to bring home and enjoy.  Which I did gladly!

Playing cards at Great Grandma's house.

Elizabeth enjoyed playing with an old set of Great Grandma's cards.  We were teasing her that if she visited Great Grandma enough, she would be an expert at solitaire by the time she was 4 years old!  And she would also be an expert at putting together puzzles!  We also got Elizabeth to dance to the musical cards!  I will need to remember that Great Grandma likes those cards (well, she likes playing them for her great grandchildren) and get them for her throughout the year.  The ones she has now are getting rough and don't always work. 

It was so nice to spend the afternoon with her and I am looking forward to the next time Elizabeth and I can make the trip to her house!

Elizabeth's 1st Birthday Party

Enjoying having "Happy Birthday" sung to her by her family!

Elizabeth had her first birthday party at our home on her birthday this year.  She had such a good time playing with all her new toys and her cousin Leslie.  She got books, play food for her kitchen, clothes and many other great things.  I know if she was able to she would thank all of you for the great time she had and for her presents. 

Elizabeth and her homemade carrot cake!

She was such a dainty eater when it came to eating her cake.  She barely even got into the actual cake, she mostly just ate the homemade cream cheese frosting and the chocolate chips.  She even used her utensils from her play kitchen and not her fingers (at least not her fingers for the most part).  We were all ready for her to dive head first into her cake but she didn't.  She was such a little dainty girl.  As dainty as a one year old can be!

We can hardly believe we have a one year old already!  I have enjoyed watching her grow so much this past year and feel like we are just getting to the exciting part!  She is starting to say Dada when she sees Bill come in from outside but will only say Mama when she is crying and needs comfort.  Oh well, I am sure I will hear Mama plenty in the years to come! 

The Birthday Girl

I can't believe our little Elizabeth is turning one next weekend!  Where does the time go?  She is such a joy to have in our lives and I can't imagine William and I without her.  Nor would I want to! 

Her new accomplishments include:

• She took her first steps two days after she turned 11 months old.  She isn't walking on a regular basis yet, but when she does, she is so proud of herself.  She smiles the biggest smile and falls into you and give you huge hugs!
• She is getting her 8th tooth!  I can hardly wait for a time when her teeth are not bothering her.  She has been such a trooper throughout the whole teething process.  She also loves to have her teeth brushed.  We do it every night and she loves to suck on the toothbrush.
• Her favorite foods are ham, yogurt, Gerber poofs and yogurt melts (and of course her milks).  She would eat them constantly if we would let her!  She isn't eating the greatest at home in the evenings these days, but Leslie says she eats fine at daycare, so we are not worrying.  She is still breastfeeding, so she gets plenty of good nutrients. 
• She can crawl up the stairs by herself.  This one is scary for Mom, but Dad lets her do it all the time when he is within reach, so she loves to do it now.  So if I am upstairs working on something, I know that shortly I can turn around and there will be my little girl coming to find me.  It is so cute!
• She is a dancing queen!  She hears music and her little hips go back and forth.  She gets happy and smiling and you can't help but want to dance with her.
• She is a drama queen!  She will throw herself on the floor and cry if she doesn't get what she wants.  Now I just let her lay there and cry, pretending I am not paying attention to her and within a few seconds to a few minutes, she rolls over, gets up and moves on. 
• The "stink-eye"...  You will know it if you see it!  Spoiled little girl doesn't like not getting what she wants, and she isn't afraid to let us know.  She really doesn't like the word "no".  Imagine that!
• She still loves to have the ABC song sang to her every morning before we put her in her car seat to go to daycare. 

She is such a blessing and I have so enjoyed the past year of watching her grow!  Now it is off to start planning her birthday gathering for next Saturday.  I know she won't remember it, so we will keep it very low key.  Lots of food though!  And pictures and video will be taken!

First Sewing Lesson

Elizabeth had her first sewing lesson with Grandma Suzie this past weekend.   It was so cute to see her be so interested in the sewing machine and how it worked.  Maybe she will turn out to be a quilter like her Grandma Suzie!

Hayride

Elizabeth went on her first hayride this September.  She fell asleep within 5 minutes of starting, but woke up when we got to Great-Grandma's house.  We played in the apple orchard and had some candy from Great-Grandma.  We wrapped her up in the blanket and tried to put a hat on her, but she kept pulling it off.  She just doesn't like hats.  Not sure what we are going to do with her this winter when it gets really cold!

A Girl and Her Car...

Elizabeth loves her car from Leann & Jeremy so much!  She comes home and crawls straight towards it and wants to go for a ride.  She looks so happy when she is going down the street in it!  The biggest smile on her cute little face!

Amanda & Elizabeth at our baby shower at work in January 2010.  Miss Elizabeth was a little over 1 month old.

My goodness how the time flies.  I have this photograph on my computer at work and it always reminds me how fast Elizabeth is growing.  This afternoon she goes in for her 9 month well-baby visit to her pediatrician.  Is it possible that she is 9 months old? 

Where does the time go? 

I remember when she was first born and all I could think about was trying to get her to latch on properly so she could drink some milk. 
 Now I have to watch her like a hawk to make sure she doesn't put anymore pennies in her mouth, doesn't throw herself off the bed, doesn't bother the dog while he is eating, etc. 

Having a crawling baby is an adjustment!
I would guess that she will be walking soon, so I will have to adjust once again! 

She is just growing too fast!

Little Miss

A Happy Baby.  Cute too!

Where does the time go?

No, really.  Where does the time go? 

Miss Elizabeth will turn 6 months old on Thursday.  I can hardly believe it!  She is in such a fun stage of development right now.  Everything seems to be so exciting for her. 

Last night it was so warm out that she didn't want to nurse very much, so I thought I would try giving her a bottle of cool water to see if she would take it.  She wasn't the least bit interested when she realized it wasn't milk.  I left the bottle on the floor near where we were laying and she definitely knows that bottles give her milk!  She kept looking at it and trying to reach out for it.  I tried giving it to her a few more times when she was doing this, but every time she realized it didn't have milk in it, she was angry. She is such a little milkaholic!  And by the way she is growing, she is definitely getting enough! 

She has tried many new foods in the past month.  I don't think that she has refused anything we have given her to try (except chopped up chicken, she gagged on it).  Avocados, peaches, green beans, peas, carrots, potatoes...  She seems to like them all.  I ordered a little manual food mill so that I can grind up whatever we are eating to give to her.  I am excited for her to get some meat in with her vegetables and fruits!  Hopefully this will help grind it up finer than I could chop and she won't gag!

I am hoping to get some professional pictures taken of her once she turns 6 months old.  She has the greatest facial expressions and it would be wonderful to capture some of them on film.