Girls Lunch Out

Earlier today my mom answered a text message I sent her and asked if Peanut and I wanted to have lunch with her. Now obviously I’m the only one who could actually eat with her, but Peanut can have a bottle, right?

I had to run a scholarship application back in to the church so when I left the church mom called and asked where I wanted to go. I told her I didn’t care and she suggested we go eat at the Precious Moments restaurant. I said sure. Now a lot of people have heard of Sam Butcher’s Precious Moments figurines and if you haven’t, they are these awesome figurines that Sam Butcher created. Did you know he’s located in Carthage, MO? Kind of cool information I guess :).

When you enter Precious Moments they have free chapel tours. We walked through to the restaurant/café (whatever I should call it) though because we were hungry. The figurine with the girl and the goose is what started the whole thing. I actually have that figurine. When I was a baby my room was done in Precious Moments wallpaper.

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31 Things on the 30th

1. Tbug, Peanut and I spent Monday and Tuesday of this week chillaxing and watching movies. Why? Because we could.

2. There is an 80% chance of rain today. Do you think it will rain?

3. We get Tbug back this afternoon for the evening. She went home yesterday afternoon for cheerleading practice.

4. I’ve been reading the book Bringing up Bébé by Pamela Druckerman. It’s about One American Mother discovering the wisdom of French Parenting. I’ll let you know if I learn anything. I’m 2 chapters in.

5. The Peanut loves to sleep on her tummy. That’s how her mommy like to sleep too, however I haven’t been able to since I became pregnant with her although we’re slowly working our way back to that!

6. When I was growing up I loved watching Boy Meets World. I’d heard rumor that they were going to do Girl Meets World which was supposed to be Corey and Topanga’s daughter growing up and they were going to be in it, but I’ve never found where anyone actually carried through with making the tv show.

7. Hubby and I are about ready to close a chapter of our life and start a new one. I can’t quite tell you what’s going on yet, but I will soon.

8. So when I got pregnant, my belly button turned brown/black. I asked the doctor and she said that it had something to do with the way Peanut formed. It’s still brown/black almost like it is bruised and it still hurts. I think I’ll have to ask the doctor about it at my next appointment. This seems soooo weird!

9. I really want to go on a vacation. I know it’s not possible right now for us, but I’d soooo love to. But if we’re being serious, part of me would like to be rich and famous and retire and move to a tropical island somewhere.

Circa 2011 – Hawaii

10. I like watermelon. I also like cherries and grapes and kiwi and strawberries. I think I want fruit right now, what do you think?

11. I really love my husband. That’s all!

Circa 2010 – Chicago Honeymoon

12. I really want to get back to some sort of exercise but I’ve been waiting for the doctor release. We’re getting so close.

13. I also want to go swimming but still waiting for the doctor release for that as well.

14. I’ve tried the Jamberry wraps. My first experience didn’t go very well but a friend of mine sells them and she helped me try them again. So far we’re on day 3 of wearing them and they’re doing much better than that first round. That first round I only lasted 2 days and I was done.

15. My hair was blonde when I was born. It did as my dad’s side of the family does and progressively got darker as I got older until it was a light brown by the time I was in my early 20’s.

See, Blonde.

16. I really want to highlight my hair, the thing is I finally got all the highlights out and I didn’t do anything with it (except cuts) while I was pregnant. Now I’m not sure I want to put color back in it since it’s all my natural color.

17. I like wearing sunglasses whether they are shading my eyes or they become a part of my accessories in my hair :). Currently my sunglasses are red :).

Apparently I’ve had red sunglasses before too…

18. Did you know I’d never changed a diaper until we were in the hospital. I was the youngest person in my family… I obviously wasn’t going to change my own.

19. I have a scar under my bottom lip from biting through it when my mom was pulling up my pants as a kid and I fell forward and bit through my lip.

20. This month I haven’t gotten dressed every day. I have spent some days in just my pj’s. I have changed shirts a lot though because spit up just doesn’t seem like much fun to keep wearing.

21. They’re talking about “Goofy Golf” on the tv. It’s like miniature golf. I think I’m ready to go miniature golfing.

22. I’m still having to wear my maternity clothes. My regular shirts fit but my pants don’t fit just yet and I’m ready to have my clothes back!

23. I’m beginning to understand why new moms cut their hair off. I don’t get along with short hair though so I guess I’ll keep mine. I’ll just keep it back :).

24. A couple weeks ago I got to take a shower at 2am courtesy of the Peanut. Spit up in my hair just kind of grossed me out.

25. I helped haul hay a few weeks ago. No I didn’t pick up bales because the doctor hasn’t released me so my family hasn’t released me either, but I still helped so I didn’t feel so bad :).

26. I finally got my wedding rings back on. I guess that means I’m still married… haha. That’s the joke anyway. Hubby however had to take his off after Sunday when his tore a big hole in his hand after he met the ground via a horse.

27. Hubby refers to my eyes as either Breen or Grown. They aren’t Green or Brown and I don’t think you really can call them hazel… so they’re either Breen or Grown.

28. Lately my favorite drinks are water, Sweet Tea and Coke.

29. In 1983, the 30th was on a Saturday.

30. It rained that day.

31. Oh and last but not least, Today is my 31st birthday.

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10 Things to Smile About in July

Did anyone realize today is the last Tuesday of July? Wow I didn’t until just now when I was reading through blog posts and saw EmmyMom’s Post… which is why I’m writing this… to link up with her 10 things to smile about in July.


Emmy Mom

1. It really has made me happy to get the little rugrats birth story written up. I was afraid I’d forget parts and not going to lie, hubby had to help me through some of it. Yikes! (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6)

2. Sleep. I know that sounds funny but what sleep I get I’m really happy about! Learning to run on lack of sleep has been interesting!

3. Celebrating the 4th of July.

4. Our first trip to the county fair (which I still need to blog about :)) (Instagram: Boomerbear)
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5. Baby snuggles. Who doesn’t like baby snuggles? I truly didn’t think I was a baby person but this little one is bringing me around. (part of my not being was I never was raised up around babies. I was the youngest one)

6. We finally got all the hay done for the first cutting. We had a nightmare getting to that point. The tractor has issues, the mower broke a couple times, the big baler broke and caught on fire twice, the square baler had issues… oy! Then we borrowed a tractor that got a flat tire twice. Fun stuff. All in the middle of that we had a baby.

7. Hubby and I have been together for 5 years as of the 25th. We went on our first date back on July 25, 2009. I reshared part of our story, but for those who haven’t read it (written in 2010) here are all the back links in case you’re interested.
Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9, part 10, part 11, part 12, part 13, part 14, part 15, part 16, part 17, part 18, part 19, part 20, part 21, part 22, part 23, part 24, part 25, part 26, part 27, part 28, part 29, part 30

8. Holy Cow, Peanut turned a month old. How is mommy’s baby growing up so fast????

9. Made footprint and handprint ornaments with mommy’s little peanut.

10. Peanut “rode” her first horse. Plus I got on the back of a horse (even though I’m still not supposed to) since September of last year.

And that’s a rap! 🙂

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Homemade Ornaments

I never really thought of myself as a baby person, but I’m really smitten with mine! And by the way, she’s growing up WAY. TOO. FAST! She hit a month old on Saturday. Really?  A month old :(. I have to tell you she was on her first horse at a month old… but shhhh don’t tell… lol :). I was too but again, don’t tell!… lol.

Anyway I wanted to do something to remember my baby as a baby so I went on pinterest after seeing that Katie had done the same thing and I found a recipe for a salt dough to make a Christmas tree ornament. Sweet!

My biggest fear is will it last? It did bake correctly and made a really cute ornament but I”m scared to death that it won’t last. Does anyone know??

Ingredients:
4 Cups Flour
1 Cup Salt
1 1/2 Cups water

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The Peanut Post – 1 Month

Stats:
You were born weighing 7lb 9.6oz.
You left the hospital weighing 7lb 7.4oz
At your 5 day check up you weighed 7lb 5.2oz. The doctor said you needed to start gaining weight.
At your 2 week check up you weighed 8lb 2 oz.
Unofficially today you weigh 10.3lb (I stepped on the scales without you and then with you)

At the hospital you were 20 inches long. We haven’t been anywhere to have you measured yet. That comes at your 2 month appointment which is September 3rd (a week after your 2 months because of schedules for mommy and daddy)

Wearing:
You can still fit in Newborn outfits for the most part but you have outgrown some of your Newborn outfits which makes mommy sad. Her baby is growing up. The 0-3 month size outfits though are typically a little on the big side.

Diapers you still are wearing Newborn diapers. The package says 5-10lb and seeing as though we’re around 10lb we may need to move up in size very soon…

Sleep:
Sleeping habits still aren’t completely formed. Right now you sleep in your pack and play at the foot of mommy and daddy’s bed. Mommy isn’t ready for you to sleep in your crib in the other room just yet but getting close. On a typical night you either wake up around midnight or 2am for your first feeding and around 4am for the second feeding. Then from there you’ll wake up anywhere from 6am to 8am ready to eat again. You’re still sleeping a lot during the day, however as the days go by, we are experiencing a lot more awake hours too.

Behavior:
You are typically a very happy baby although at least once a day you have to clear your lungs. Some times we can’t figure out just why you’re screaming/crying. You are starting to form tears which breaks mommy’s heart when you cry. You growl a lot, even in your sleep. Some times while sleeping you even snore.

Eating:
We were going to start you out breast feeding for 6 weeks (until mommy went back to school) but you weren’t having it. Mommy and daddy decided that we were both formula babies and we turned out ok and we didn’t want you starving for you to get the whole breast feeding down so you are a formula baby. You’ll typically eat anywhere from about 2oz to 6oz per feeding. You are eating about every 2-4 hours, sometimes less, sometimes more.

Appearance:
You’re beautiful. So far you still have blue eyes and blondish/strawberry blonde hair. Your hair is growing, however daddy still does the Mohawk like they did in the hospital every night after your bath. You’ve had a bout of baby acne which is starting to clear up. We’ve had to put mittens on your hands from time to time because you like to keep your hands next to your face and your finger nails are sharp.

Likes:
You like the swing.
You like being held.
You like Daddy.
You like Mommy.
You like being Swaddled for bed.
You like to eat.
Your favorite position mommy has found is being held on her chest (chest to chest).

Dislikes:
You don’t like socks.
You don’t care for bath time but you’re coming around.
You don’t care for the pool.
You don’t like footed pajamas to sleep in.
You don’t like being undressed/redressed.

Milestones:
You’ve had your first car ride.
You had your hospital shots.
You passed your hearing test with flying colors.
You’ve experienced your 1st Independence Day.
You’ve had your first elevator ride.
You’ve had your first pool experience.
You’ve had your first trip to Walmart at 5 days old.
You’ve had your first trip to the mall shopping.

Mommy:
Mommy has had quite the learning curve. I’ve changed my first diaper. I’ve packed the diaper bag for the first time. Then I’ve left formula at home, forgotten to pack a onesie for night time (grandma watched you/gave you a bath), I forgot wipes, I forgot to pack extra diapers. Then I’ve been spit up on twice, once while we were out shopping. I’ve had my hair pulled, my necklace pulled, my glasses pulled off my face, had my first 2am shower because I was spit up on. I’m kind of grumpy getting up in the middle of the night, in fact one night trying to get to my feet I fell back into the bed realizing I needed to get my balance before trying to pick you up. I’ve slept in the recliner a few nights. I haven’t been anywhere on time since having you. I’m getting good at doing laundry because I’ve been peed on a few times, we’ve had to wash your changing table mat a few times, and I’m even getting good at getting poop out of clothing. This has been quite the learning curve for mommy, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Daddy:
Baby girl melts her daddy’s heart. He took the first 2 weeks you were born off to spend extra time with you but wound up in the hay field most of that time. Then he had to go back to work. Daddy loves to come home though and snuggle with his baby. He loves to give you kisses. He’s usually the one who gives you your bath because mommy is running around the house doing odds and ends. Daddy also learned how to swaddle you the best and how to do your hair like they did at the hospital.

Other:
For the first couple weeks that you were born, there was someone here almost every day/night that wanted to meet and hold you. Then once we hit around week 3, you spent a lot of time with just mommy and daddy, but don’t be fooled, people still fight over holding you. Every time we take you out, someone comments on just how beautiful of a baby girl you are.

Letter: 

Dear baby girl,

Mommy wasn’t sure she was a baby person but you’ve proved to her that she just might be. There has been a lot of learning curves and mommy is scared to death she is screwing things up. I absolutely LOVE when you smile at me even if it is just because you’re pooping. A lot of people were excited that you were coming and even more people are excited that you’re here.

You may not do a lot right now, but I am sad that you are growing out of this phase. I hate that I didn’t get all the newborn pictures that I wanted but I needed help and it was difficult those first couple weeks to get that and still manage everything else, but remember that you are extremely loved. I have taken a whole lot of snap shot photos and sometimes those are the absolute best.

I can’t wait to see what you grow up and become, but please slow down growing up. Mommy isn’t sure she can handle closing her eyes and you growing up at the blink of an eye!

I’m so glad that God decided you were going to come be daddy and my baby because we absolutely love you!

Love,
Mommy

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One Year Ago… Part X – Repost

Today is Hubby and my 5 year date-i-versary. 5 years ago today we went on our very first date. I’m reposting the story about our first date from our story I wrote out back in 2010. This was originally posted on July 5, 2010. Please be sure to check out our story if you want to know what lead up to this and what happened after!!
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As per usual, when something you are excited about and looking forward to is coming up, something inevitably always goes wrong. So you must be wondering what went wrong this time… I got a silly summer cold. Yup, you read that right, I got a summer cold the week of dinner club, the week of hanging out with this long lost friend. I’m not one who usually goes to the doctor when I’m sick. I usually just let it run its course and proceed on. I’ll sometimes take over the counter meds just so I’m not completely suffering but I usually just tough it out. Not this time. I didn’t want to cancel. I didn’t want to wait for my next chance to meet up with him. He lived in Kentucky, I mean seriously, how many chances would I get or how often??

So I did what any normal girl would do, I found my old high school year books and looked up his picture. I had to remember what he looked like! Yup, check, he looks like what I remembered from way back when… oh wait, those were from way back when. Well you get the picture, right? 🙂

The day before “the big day” he was able to take a vacation day and come home a little earlier than normal. He got in around 7pm. We talked and texted the whole way (I sure hope he wasn’t texting while driving!!!). I didn’t realize he was going to be in so early so I went over to the J’s house to hang out and help Josh bake a cake. We were texting all through this. He was sending me pictures of shirts he had and pictures of him in a cowboy hat and all kinds of pictures. I think I sent him pictures of the cake I baked.

So the day came, July 25th. I woke up that morning and did the normal morning ritual of going to town with my mom. I’m not really sure we set out on a mission that day but we headed that direction non-the-less. While in town, of course I was watching the time. I had to get home, get my hair fixed, make-up on, and dressed before 4pm. That’s when we had to leave to go to dinner. I volunteered to drive because he left his convertible top down all night and wouldn’t you know, it rained.

While in town I looked at my mom and said, “We should go visit Dotti.” Dotti is the Elizabeth Arden make-up rep at Macy’s. She always loves giving me a make-over and I figured, hmmm… maybe we’d be lucky and she wouldn’t be busy. Dotti hooked me up! I had beautiful make-up! Then we ran home and my mom decided to fix my hair for me. I then got dressed and I was ready to go.

As I pulled out the driveway though, I began to have second thoughts. I was so nervous at one point I almost ran off the road. Bad Nicole, don’t drive on auto pilot. He gave me directions, drive all the way down Cedar. When the road comes to a T take a left. Go about 2 miles. When you start hitting the curves turn on the road to the left. You’ll see a triple wide on the corner, that’s my sisters. My mom’s driveway is the next one on the left. You’ll see the Big shop, make sure and turn there.

I was so nervous I was about to turn around and go home every chance I got. I so almost picked up the phone and canceled 4 times. I mean seriously, what if he didn’t like me. What if I wasn’t the girl he remembered. What if there was something wrong with me or I was too over dressed or I wasn’t dressed up enough or I think you get the picture. Once I came to the T in the road left took me closer to his house, right took me to the highway.

I sat at the stop sign for what seemed like a year and turned my left turn signal on. 2 more turns to go and I’m there. Then all the scary thoughts popped back into my head.

(on a side note, these memories are making my knees weak and shaky just like that day)

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Things that make you go hmmmm (hubby titled it!)

One of my favorite shows to watch lately has been Family Fued, but only the one where Steve Harvey is the host. Anyway tonight I was watching. Once a family hits 300+ points, then that family sends up 2 people who get asked the same 5 questions and they have to hit 200 points to win $20,000. One of the questions they were asked in the 5 question round was, how much on a scale of 1-10 do you want your kids to be like you? The first gal said 7 which got like 19 points. The other gal said 10 which got like 2 points or something like that. Then Steve Harvey reveals the number 1 answer. The number 1 answer… 1.

That struck me as odd… Seriously, people only want their children to be like them as a 1 out of 10. So hubby and I discussed that. He said people are a lot like me (which obviously made me roll my eyes), he said that people focus on the bad about themselves versus the good. Hmmm… okay so maybe he has a point, more than just the tip of his nose.

I guess only seeing the bad in themselves could make a person say they didn’t want their kids to be like them. So then hubby said that he knows he’s done a lot of stuff in his life that he wishes his kids would never do, however, he said, I’m a pretty smart feller and I would hope they get that from me. I have decent vision, hopefully she gets that from me. Now when it comes to hair, I kind of hope it’s a combination of yours and mine… basically the straight easy to manage from me and somewhere between my thickness and yours from us.

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The Story Part 6

**Part 1**
**Part 2**
**Part 3**
**Part 4** 
**Part 5**

I knew that the nurse came in to take my vitals but hubby and I were so exhausted that we wound up going right back to sleep. I remember passing my arm across the bed at the nurse but I’m fairly certain she took my blood pressure while I was asleep.

When I woke up closer to 7:30 that Saturday morning hubby and I discussed breakfast and he called our order down to the cafeteria and then we got baby girl up to hold her. After we ate hubby started packing our things up because we were told we’d be able to go home that day. My doctor came in and released me, we were just waiting for baby girl’s doctor’s nurse practitioner to come in and check her/release her to go home.

Nurse Shanie who gave us a tour of the delivery area a few months prior was our nurse that morning. She and the Nurse Practitioner came in and checked baby girl over, answered a few questions that hubby and I had and said that she was released. So hubby continued to pack up our things so we could leave as soon as we were discharged.

My mom called and asked if we needed some help. I told her if nothing else, please come to our house and watch baby girl so at least hubby and I could shower and take a nap. The night before was a bit rough. She said she’d just head into the hospital and help us finish loading up and then she’d be more than happy to watch baby girl for us.

Around 11:30, I was still in the hospital gown but otherwise everything was packed up and had been moved to the car, except for what I needed to change. We were just sitting in the room waiting for the nurse to come release us. Finally hubby asked me if they forgot about me and told me to come up with something I could ask them.

As you may or may not know, they have you wear those mesh underwear things in the hospital so I finally thought I’d go ask if I could wear my actual underwear home. I know, it was a stupid question but I needed to do something to get the nurses attention. They told me of course I could and asked if I was ready to go home or if we were eating lunch there. I said, I’d prefer to just go home, I really don’t have any reason to stick around here unless I need to. They told me to go get dressed and when I was, come let them know and we’d go through discharge papers.

I walked back in the room and asked hubby to come into the bathroom and help me dress and then we’d be ready to go. I was kind of excited. 2 days in the hospital was long enough for me. The only other time I’ve been in the hospital like that was when I was born and I obviously don’t remember that.

Once I was dressed and got everything packed up that was still waiting I went out and told the nurse sitting at the desk. She said Shanie would be right in as soon as she was finished doing what she was doing.

My mom helped dress baby girl in her going home outfit, we snapped a few photos and then we were out the door running.

Okay I wasn’t running and neither was anyone else. Shanie wheeled me out of the building (protocol), hubby carried baby girl in her carseat (also protocol, babies have to be strapped into carseats before they are allowed to leave the room), and my mom, FIL and hubby grabbed what ever was remaining in our room to go home and then we finally got to head home.

We put our stuff in the car, my mom took my prescription to go get from the pharmacy and we headed out of the hospital parking lot. It was a crazy feeling, even though we’d only been in there for 2 days to leave there. The driving home part was sooooo surreal. I snapped a picture of gas prices on the day baby girl got to go home.

When hubby and I were headed home we called my MIL so she and Tbug could come over. We got to the house and unloaded baby girl. My mom got there with my prescription just after we got home. She decided to run to the Amish store up the road to get us lunch. Then since my MIL was there, my mom said she had things to do at home so she went ahead and headed home. My MIL and Tbug watched baby girl while hubby and I took a shower and then went and took a nap. While we were napping, Earl and the kids came by to see Peanut for a few minutes and then she went home to make dinner (for us too). 

Later that night Earl, Pokey and the kids came back with Lasagna for us. While they were here they watched Peanut while Tbug, Memaw, hubby and I ate. We all sat here and watched a movie. About halfway through the movie Earl and I went and put Peanut in jammies that Pokey picked out especially for her.

Then we settled back in to watch the movie. Peanut made some of the cutest faces while we sat here and watched the movie. In fact, I have no idea what movie we watched because I watched Peanut more.

Then about the time that Earl, Pokey and the kids went to leave, Moo and Tbug gave peanut a kiss. And then we were on our first night home as a new family.

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