Random Question

I have a question for you fabulous moms who are always SO great about giving me your opinions and advice!! How soon after your babies were born did you nurse (or try and nurse)?? My only real regret about Cameron's whole birth experience was that there was a lot of craziness right after he was born, and I didn't even get to just sit and hold and enjoy him until about 4 hours after he was born. By then he was too sleep to nurse. I really think we might have had a better start with nursing if I had been able to try feeding him right after he was born. I think this time I am going to tell family and visitors that they are welcome to be at the Hospital, but I want some time right away with just me, Nate and her. I wanted that with Cam too, but I wasn't vocal enough about it, and by the time he arrived, I was too exhausted and hungry to care! I just wanted food, haha!! Anyway, this time I'd really like to nurse Allie as soon as I can.

More clothes....

Remember adorable Miss Ashlan that I babysat all last Winter and Spring? Her mom gave us 2 huge bags of clothes today. The CUTEST stuff ever, and it's all size 12-18 mo, which is perfect! Abby's mom and my friend Kari both gave me tons and tons of 0-9 month size, and now I have up to 18 mo size! I can't believe how generous people have been! Miss Allison is going to be very well-dressed, and we won't have spent a dime!!

Pageant Madness

So tonight I was channel surfing and came across a show on TLC documenting baby and child Beauty pageants. It was SO unbelievable that Nate and I seriously couldn't help ourselves from watching! We sat there in complete shock over what some parents will make their children do. These cute girls were SO into their hair, makeup, costumes, etc.... Not to mention the provocative and sassy way they were walking and posing. Talk about sending an awful message at such a young age! I kept telling Nate, "These poor kids, they deserve a real childhood....let them run around outside and play at the park...."

So now our new joke is that I'm going become on obsessive 'pageant mom' and force Allison to strut her stuff at 9 months old!!!

I'm not against beauty pageants....I'm just against them starting SO young....before the child has a real choice in the matter. What do you think???

Better

Things are always better when Nate's around. I'm sitting here enjoying some hot apple cider and my Winter Wonderland Scentsy burning while watching Nate and Cameron out the window having a snowball fight and playing basketball!! Nate always makes everything okay.

Blame it on the pregnancy??

So I have seriously been such an emotional MESS lately! And it's driving me CRAZY!!!! I hate not feeling like I have ANY control over my emotions. I snap at Cameron over the littlest thing, and then I start bawling cuz I feel bad....yeah, I think Nate is sort of scared of me!! I wake up each day praying so hard to keep my cool with Cameron, and I seriously last about 10 minutes before I'm a basket case!

I've been sort of worried about it and hoping I'm not a bad mom. I want NOTHING more than for Cameron and my future children to have the best childhood possible....to feel loved and safe and comfort in their home. I want the Spirit to be in our home and for us to always keep our eye on our goal of being an eternal family. But lately I feel like I haven't been a good mom AT ALL. I just cannot describe how exhausted I am! I keep telling myself "You're pregnant, just relax". But that doesnt' help when I'm in the middle of a meltdown!

Anyway, so tonight I went back and was reading some of my old blog entries back from last year and earlier this year. I read what I wrote, and I feel like I don't even recognize that voice! I obviously was a LOT more stable and enjoyed motherhood (and babysitting) much MUCH more than I have been the past few weeks, but it actually made me feel a LOT better. I'm not a horrible mom who hates motherhood! I'm just a VERY VERY hormonal pregnant woman.....RIGHT???? Someone please tell me that I will feel better soon....!!!!!

Tick Tock

I cannot believe how fast this past week flew by! Thanksgiving feels like it was yesterday! Less than 6 weeks left of this pregnancy, and I CANNOT believe it!

Thanks to my fabulous friends and family, I am pretty much all set for Allie girl to come. I need a few things still....a diaper bag (still can't decide what type to get), a baby monitor (I found one I like, I just need to order it), a few more odds and ends (more burp clothes, some newborn size pants, and some pack n play sheets).

So now I am RELAXING. Every night while Nate does homework, I snuggle up with a good book and some apple cider. I am taking in EVERY moment I have to enjoy how easy I have it right now!! Cameron is back to sleeping like an angel, and I am soaking in my evenings while they last!!!! My Christmas gifts are pretty much all ready, Allie's clothes are as organized as I could possibly make them, and I have been working on getting lots of crockpot recipes together for the weeks after she's born. Primary should be smooth this month....I have Sharing Time today, but that's it for the month! The kids have been so good lately!! And finally....only FOUR more days of babysitting left! Two days this week, two days next week, and I will finally be DONE!! I have been babysitting for over a year now, and I'm more than ready to be done with that. It has been a HUGE blessing for me to be able to stay home with Cameron, and I am so grateful for the kids I have watched, but it's really exhausting!!!

Another success....

So we think Cameron is successfully off of his night-time cup of milk! It wasn't a big deal to us, I know some mom's are all weird about their kids drinking milk in bed and their teeth rotting. We didn't care about that, we probably should have! We'd always brush his teeth, but then he'd have atleast 1 or 2 cups of milk before falling asleep. I just didn't even think about it.
But for some RANDOM reason, 3 nights ago, I decided to only give him water after we brushed his teeth. We gave him a nice big cup of milk during his book time and while we tucked him in, then we brushed his teeth, said prayers, and told him he could have water. It worked! And 3 nights later he is still off his milk at night. Yay!! So we're at no binkies during the day and no milk at night....progress!! I am learning that as a mother, I am afraid of change....if something is working well, I get really nervous to change it, even if it's in the best interest of Cameron! BUT I am also learning not to be too hard on myself!! I think mom's feel SO much pressure to parent the same way their friends or family do, but every parent and child combination is different, and I think we are all trying our best!! I don't think there is one right way to do things....especially when it comes to routines, bedtimes, binkies, bottles, soothing, discipline, etc etc etc.

I also have to give a HUGE shout-out to my sweet friend Tristan. The flannel blanket she made for Allie came today, and I LOVE IT!! She made Cam's alphabet blanket that he is in love with, and now Allie will have a "Tristan blanket" too! I love how durable these flannel blankets are....they can get dragged around, stepped on, spilled on, etc, and they just last and last. This way I can keep the kids' "great-great grandma quilts" from being destroyed!! Thanks Tristan, love and miss ya!!