Ready to Run

In the last almost three years a lot has changed about me. I had a baby, left my job, and had another baby. In between all of that I started something just for me. I started working out. My dad told me about this group called StrollerFit. For those of you who know me I am not a joiner. I sit back and watch but it takes a lot to get me involved. So much so that my dad told me about it in December and I didn't go until the end of March. I had to talk myself into it.

I joined this group and loved it. It was hard in the beginning and I HURT most days. After a while I started seeing changes. I firmed up and lost weight. I eventually dropped down to a smaller size than when I was in HS. Then a few months after I finally got to where I wanted to be I found out I was pregnant again. I was excited, but not looking forward to losing all the weight again. The good news was I was starting out smaller.

Well Gabriel is now 10.5 months old and I am still working on the last 10lbs, but I am nursing so I am not stressing about it. All of this to say I am proud of what I have done and am now setting forth with a new challenge.

A few months ago my brother approached me about running the Half Marathon with him. I thought and thought about it. I told Royal (the hubby) who quickly laughed it off as a hair brained idea. It stuck in the back of my mind for a month or so. Then the day to sign up came and I figured what's the worst that could happen and went for it.

On January 17, 2010 I will attempt my first half marathon.

Sleeping in the Nude

Joshua likes to sleep in nothing but his birthday suit.

It started when we started potty training. He started sleeping in an over night pull up. Pull ups open on the side to make it easy to get them off in case of an emergency. Joshua starting taking them off after we put him to bed. Every night I would go back in and redress him before I went to bed because I didn't want him to have an accident during the night. After a few weeks I noticed that he was waking up dry, but he was still taking the pull up off. I figured I should just let him sleep in his big boy underwear since he didn't seem to like to pull up. I also thought maybe he would leave these on. Well the first night I went to check on him and his naked bottom was sticking in the air. Not only that he took off his shirt too. Most nights when I go to check on him he is not fully nude and has happy as a clam.

Starting Over

It was my hope to have lost the last 10 lbs months ago but I have not. Then I told myself it was staying because I am still nursing. Well I think it really has a lot more to do with me not sticking to Weight Watchers as closely as I should. Starting now I am going to be very strict because I want my body back. In other news Gabriel is almost 10 months old and my plan is to start weening him at 11.5 months. I would like to have him completely weened right around the time he turns one. I can't believe that we will be celebrating another first birthday in just two months. We are planning on having a pool party.

Back among the living

We were all sick two weeks ago. Three of us had pretty decent fevers. We are all doing better and the little one has a new tooth to show for it.

We also had hosting duty for just about everything.

June 22 we had a strollerfit play date.
June 28 a baby shower for Brooke
June 29 Bunko

I don't think we will be inviting any more people over for a while.

Tiny Boy

Today I took Gabriel to the doctor for his nine month check up. He is perfectly healthy and hitting all of his milestones.

Weight: 17lbs 10oz (10%-up from 5% at his six month check up)
Height: 27in (10% down from 55%) (but I think at least 27.5 because he was worming and all scrunched up)
Head: somewhere between 50-75%.

We have been given the all clear to start table food just avoiding eggs, honey, fish, shellfish, and peanut butter until later. Shhh we already started last week with chicken. Last night he had chicken and green beans and loved it.

A sad, sad milestone

I put Gabriel down for a nap this morning, so it was just me and the J man hanging out for a while. At one point I asked him for a kiss and he puckered up to kiss me. I gave him a kiss and the next thing I see broke my heart...He wiped it off. I thought I would have a few more years before he did that.

Sneek Peaks

Last Tuesday Royal and I got the boys cleaned and dressed and headed to Collins Park. We had our first family photos as a family of four. My friend Kelley took the AWESOME pictures. Here are a few sneak peeks and a look at the rest of her blog.

KD Loftis

Five Years

Well today is out fifth anniversary. At this time five years ago we were fast asleep at the Hotel Sofitel(SP). The next day we were headed to Vegas.

We have gone though a lot in the last five years.
*Moved in together
*Bought our first house
*Bought my car
*Had a baby
*bought Royal a car
*put a pool in
*found out we were expecting #2
*Bought Royal a more family friendly car
*had #2
*Ike

Goodness we have been busy over the last 5 years. It's no wonder we are both tired. Royal you have been with me through the highs and lows and no one loves you more than I do. Happy Anniversary.

Pool Time!

Now that the weather is warm we have been enjoying the pool. This is not the first time this season that we have been in, but it is the first time I have taken pictures. Joshua loves "swimming," which mostly involves him playing on the tanning ledge and never getting his face wet.













And just for good measure Lucy Goose. She is 10 year old.

Looking for Opinions

We are taking family photos on Tuesday with Kelley from KD Loftis Photography. I needed opinions as to what we should wear.

I plan on wearing a black cotton dress. I am not sure what to do with all these boys.

Option #1 - all boys wear black polos
Option #2 - Royal in a black Polo, J&G in a different color polo (maybe blue)

Any other suggestions are welcome too.

Not me Monday

Inspired by Jess I thought I would give this a try.

Today I did not:

• I did not give my two year old candy every time he used the potty. And I don't do this everyday.

• I did not spend half the day taking said child to the potty.
  

• I did not take a shower at 7:15 in the evening and then sit in my towel all night because I was too lazy to go put on my jammies.

• I did not walk out of the room while Gabriel had a wall eyed fit because I needed a break.

• I did not waste a ton of time playing bejeweled

• I did not have a good evening playing with my kids and husband in the pool.

• I did not ask my husband if there are miniature cows knowing very well that he was going to laugh his ass off.
  

Oh the milestone they will meet

We have been all about growing up in our house. With two little ones you just can't stop it.
Joshua first
-he is still working on potty training. This weekend he started telling me when he needed to go. He still has accidents but there is a lot of improvement.

-He has a best friend. There is a little boy in his MDO class and they play together all the time. It is really cute when Joshua gets to school this little boy is always so excited to see him.

-He will talk on the phone. He told Nana (my mom) Happy mother's day.

-He has become very affectionate. He doles out hugs and kisses with such delight. There is nothing sweeter than having your little boy come up to you and say, "momma, hold you." Melts my heart every time.

Gabriel is growing just as much
-He has started army crawling. It will be interesting to see if he moved beyond this because Joshua didn't.

-With this new found movement he "chases' after his brother. This boy is constantly on the move.

-He has learned to drink out of a straw.

-He has learned to feed himself. He is eating puffs.

Just Cuteness

Joshua was eating a banana nut muffin.

One step forward and two steps back

Friday was supposed to be Joshua's first day in big boy underwear at school. That all went to the crapper as soon as I left. Now he tends to have his accidents in the mornings, so this was not a total surprise to me. Joshua had an accident as soon as I left. No biggie I brought lots of cloths to change into.

The next part is all my fault. I just assumed that he would use the school potty. The problem...this potty is a real toilet only miniaturized, but still too big for my little guy. His feet didn't touch the floor and the hole was too big for his bottom. So he spent all day in a diaper. After I spent three days introducing him to the potty chair it was undone in a day. The good news is that I have learned from my mistake and his teacher said I could bring his potty chair to school.


This is the potty chair we have. The center come out so you can dump the contents into the potty. That little hump is to block the "teetee" from spraying everywhere. This is all fine and good unless you have a boy and his "boy" isn't pointing directly down for whatever reason. Then you just get it everywhere.

Potty training day 1

So far so good. Only two accidents and he stopped himself half way through and ran to the potty to finish. It's kind of funny to watch him get the urge because he freaks out and is not totally sure where to go. Should I stand here or do I go to the potty? He also doesn't seem to want to empty completely. He'll let a little bit go and then stop and pour it out flush and come back for more.

Two tips so far. If you have another child (younger) have someone else watch them. It's hard to nurse and take someone to the potty at the same time.

Put your bumbo away. It looks too much like a potty and well it might get used as one.

At the end of the day.

Joshua didn't have any accidents in the afternoon. He wasn't telling me when he needed to go but he would take himself to the potty. I am so proud at how well he is doing.

We have only had one small problem and that is when he sits and goes well it doesn't always all stay in the potty. I have had to clean up more than a little wayward potty. Maybe tomorrow he will start telling me when he needs to go.

The last ten pounds

I have always struggled with my weight. I was at my heaviest weight when I found out I was pregnant with Joshua. My goal after he was born was to get down to an ideal weight. I wasn't sure how I was going to do this but it was my goal.

When Joshua was a month old my dad told me about Stroller Fit. I started going every day. After a while I saw results but then my weight loss stalled. I joined Weight Watchers online and with a lot of hard work I got down to my goal weight.

A few months later I found out I was pregnant again. All that hard work about to be rewarded with a new baby. This time around I was in much better shape. I worked out everyday until I was 37 weeks. I quit because it was so hot. I went back to working out as soon as I was released by my doctor. It felt so good to get out of the house and move again. The weight came off easily...except for the last ten pounds. So hear I sit 10 lbs to go. It is taunting me.

Puffs

Recently I gave Gabriel his first bite of Puffs (kiddie food that dissolves when the baby puts it in their mouth). This is what Gabriel thought. In the background is Joshua.

Sandbox

Joshua's Mimi and Granddaddy (Royal's parents) gave him a sand box for Christmas. Well last Thursday the boys and I went and bought sand. I had my brother come over to help me set it up. The bags of sand were 50lbs each; I bought 8. Joshua loves it.

Six Months

Gabriel will be six months old on March 11. I am writing this now because I know I will forget if I wait to do it on the 11th.

Gabriel 9/11/08


One Month old




Three Months old



4 months old



5 months




Almost 6 months




I can't believe how fast the second time around has gone. My little guy is rolling all over the place and has even found that he can get places by continuously rolling. He loves his big brother. There is nothing sweeter than watching Gabriel and Joshua interacting with each other.

Both boys together. Joshua didn't what Gabriel to touch him, so I had to move him over.




Oh yeah if anyone is actually reading this drop me a line and say "HI"

First Hair Cut

I wanted to get Joshua's hair cut when he was 15 months old but Royal was the hold out. Eventually Joshua's hair grew out and he looked like a surfer. Long and blond. I had been trimming the front and back to keep it from being really long.

Last Tuesday I was going to give him a trim. Royal offered to him if I would hold him. Well Royal did more than a trim. He whacked the front super short. So I ended up taking Joshua for his first hair cut at Cool Cuts 4 Kids. He did a great job. The put him in a car chair and let him watch Elmo. The only part he didn't like was the clippers.

Please excuse the funny layout.