I haven't blogged in a few weeks because I've been really busy. People have asked, "what have you been busy with" and I don't really have an answer, ha ha. I think "the terrible ones" should be my answer, if there is one. Barrett is such a good boy...really, he is. He's just in a funk lately and it's taking a toll on the whole house. For the past two weeks, he's whined and cried pretty much 24/7. He literally has this monotone whine that he does all the time now and it has just about driven Ty and I insane. Ty has always been so patient and handles stressful times with Barrett so well. I can tell that he's even getting impatient at this point. Unfortunately, I wasn't blessed with ANY patience so I'm struggling with this one bad.
Barrett's cutting a few teeth and has an ear infection so I know he's not feeling well. That along with his newly defiant attitude has made for some unpleasant times lately. I guess I just didn't expect this until he was two. You know, you hear, "the terrible twos," not "the terrible ones". He wants what he can't have. He wants to do anything other than what he's currently doing. He wants to be held one second and not the next. He refuses to eat certain foods. He's constantly sleepy, which is a new one. He goes to the doctor for his fifteen month checkup in a couple of weeks so I'm going to ask about it then. He sleeps twelve hours a night and takes around a two hour nap a day. We probably need to adjust his sleep schedule and break it up in a way that he's getting two naps a day. I'm dreading that process though :/.
When Barrett turned a year old, we cut down his bottles to just one eight ounce bottle in the morning and one eight ounce bottle at bedtime and he did fine with that. But here lately, he's become obsessed with his bottles. He'll walk around the house crying for his "ba-ba" and it's just pitiful. I don't want to take steps backwards though, so I'm sticking to my guns and only giving him two a day. In the next few months, we have to cut back to one and then none so this is just the beginning. It's just been difficult lately because I feel like I'm spending more time disciplining him than I am having fun with him. I'm hoping that we'll at least get a little break after he cuts these teeth and gets rid of this ear infection.
As far as his development goes, he's still not walking on his own. He walks behind things like his Mickey truck and dinosaur walker and knows how to turn them to make circles through our kitchen, living room, and hallway. He says a lot of words now. He knows how to color with crayons. He can operate the TV remote and light switches. He weighs 28 pounds.
He's moving up rooms again at daycare this Monday, which I'm really excited about. Supposedly, there's a mother dying to get her child into his old class because she starts work Monday and there wasn't a spot open. They said that they felt developmentally, it was time for Barrett to move up anyways. At first, I was hesitant but after meeting the teachers, I'm beyond thrilled. They seem like what he needs, to boost him to the next level. They do art in his new classroom which I'm excited about. They also no longer eat in highchairs. I visited Friday and was beyond surprised to see how well-behaved the children were, while eating lunch. There were about eight 14-24 month old kids sitting at this long, short table with little bitty chairs. Each child was sitting straight-forward in their chair and eating their food with such good manners. I'm nervous to see how Barrett tolerates this on Monday but I'm sure he'll get adjusted. I think it will be good for him and might help with the problems we're having right now. In the class he was in, they didn't do a whole lot of interacting with the children as far as activities go. They were there to feed the children, give them their naps, change their diapers, and keep them safe. The children played together but that was the most interaction they got. In his new class, they teach them sign language and do crafts every day. My little boy is growing up so fast :*(.
Anyways, I'm going to get off of this computer and watch Courageous with Ty. We are in desperate need of alone time since all of this stuff with Barrett, so we take advantage of the time when he's sleeping. Just say a prayer for us, please! I have got to learn how to be patient. Everyone have a great week!
***I appreciate no drama becoming from this post. Please and thank you ;)***
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
You have to watch what you say...
Lately, I've dealt with a bit of drama and I don't like it. To make a long story short, about a month ago, I wrote some stuff on my blog about work that was slightly inappropriate. It wasn't about a specific customer. It really wasn't about a customer of our's at all. It wasn't mean nor did I use any foul language. It was just a little rude, I guess, which could potentially give our business a bad name. I definitely don't want to do that. I love our customers and want to help them in any way possible. At the time, I didn't think anything about what I wrote and still don't really see much wrong with the content but at the same time, I respect other people's opinions when they say that I went a little too far. Anyways, some nameless people told a nameless person I'm fairly close to, about what I had written and from there, it was made to be a bigger deal than it actually was. I still haven't and probably won't ever get complete details of what was said about me nor will I ever be told exactly who started this nonsense but that's OK.
Last night, I actually opened that particular blog post and deleted the inappropriate paragraph, just to save myself additional drama related to this subject. I just haven't had to deal with this kind of stuff since I was in high school. I especially wouldn't expect it from women that are twenty to thirty years older than me. I've gone ahead and deleted a select few people off of my Facebook to at least decrease my chances of any foolishness from these people again. The comments about me and my blog got so silly that the fact that I post my blogs late at night (usually around midnight) and write three to four paragraphs in one blog, was made into a big deal. Gasp (said sarcastically)! I'm not sure what's wrong with writing late at night and writing four paragraphs in one post. I tend to have my highest potential late at night. I actually made my blog private last night but it was going to be a huge pain for people to read it, while it was private. When it's private, a new link has to be emailed to each person, every time you have a new post. Then, they have to click on the link I emailed them, to be able to read my blog. I have no idea who all reads my blogs. I know a select few people that do read my blogs regularly though. Tonight, I decided it would be easier to just leave my blog public and monitor how I word things and what content I blog about.
As I've said in a previous post, I use my blog as a way to express my feelings. It's similar to people that use paperback journals at home to document their feelings. I choose a blog over a journal because with a blog, people can relate to my situations and how I'm feeling. They give such helpful advice and encouragement. I love being able to relate to others and them being able to relate to me. I know some people have negative opinions about blogs, which they are entitled to. For example, I've heard some people say it's a way of bragging and putting your whole life out there. Of course, it's a way of bragging for some people! It's not for me though. I recall talking about my son's circumcision in my last blog post...Am I bragging about that?! Obviously not. I received emails from two of my Facebook friends that made me feel much better about the situation, so I'm glad I made that blog post. One person had even gone through the same problem herself.
Speaking of people giving advice, I truely appreciate any of you that have given me feedback and some of you even helping me through really hard times. I remember about a month after giving birth to Barrett, I was in such a deep dark hole of anxiety and depression. It wasn't just the baby blues...it was severe Postpartum Depression, beyond measure. It was one of the most joyful times in my life and also the most miserable. I recall in December 2010, writing a blog post about how anxious and depressed I was. What's even worse is you feel so bad about yourself for feeling that way after being given this precious baby from God that I had hoped and prayed for for so long. But unfortunately, it's the way some women's bodies and brains handle the hormone changes after birth. Within an hour of sharing that blog post on Facebook, I had so many people email me, text me, and call me, saying they were praying for me, telling me they cared about me, and alot of you even told me your stories of how you got through similar situations. Again, I thank all of you that were there for me. It really meant alot.
Anyways, I've got to go to bed...It's 12:33am!!! Haha. I'm a night-owl. What can I say?! Good night and I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Mine's going to be busy!
P.S. Say a special prayer for my best friend, Audrey. She was due this past Tuesday with her first little boy, Austin, so she's now three days past-due. I know she's uncomfortable and so ready to meet this sweet man.
Last night, I actually opened that particular blog post and deleted the inappropriate paragraph, just to save myself additional drama related to this subject. I just haven't had to deal with this kind of stuff since I was in high school. I especially wouldn't expect it from women that are twenty to thirty years older than me. I've gone ahead and deleted a select few people off of my Facebook to at least decrease my chances of any foolishness from these people again. The comments about me and my blog got so silly that the fact that I post my blogs late at night (usually around midnight) and write three to four paragraphs in one blog, was made into a big deal. Gasp (said sarcastically)! I'm not sure what's wrong with writing late at night and writing four paragraphs in one post. I tend to have my highest potential late at night. I actually made my blog private last night but it was going to be a huge pain for people to read it, while it was private. When it's private, a new link has to be emailed to each person, every time you have a new post. Then, they have to click on the link I emailed them, to be able to read my blog. I have no idea who all reads my blogs. I know a select few people that do read my blogs regularly though. Tonight, I decided it would be easier to just leave my blog public and monitor how I word things and what content I blog about.
As I've said in a previous post, I use my blog as a way to express my feelings. It's similar to people that use paperback journals at home to document their feelings. I choose a blog over a journal because with a blog, people can relate to my situations and how I'm feeling. They give such helpful advice and encouragement. I love being able to relate to others and them being able to relate to me. I know some people have negative opinions about blogs, which they are entitled to. For example, I've heard some people say it's a way of bragging and putting your whole life out there. Of course, it's a way of bragging for some people! It's not for me though. I recall talking about my son's circumcision in my last blog post...Am I bragging about that?! Obviously not. I received emails from two of my Facebook friends that made me feel much better about the situation, so I'm glad I made that blog post. One person had even gone through the same problem herself.
Speaking of people giving advice, I truely appreciate any of you that have given me feedback and some of you even helping me through really hard times. I remember about a month after giving birth to Barrett, I was in such a deep dark hole of anxiety and depression. It wasn't just the baby blues...it was severe Postpartum Depression, beyond measure. It was one of the most joyful times in my life and also the most miserable. I recall in December 2010, writing a blog post about how anxious and depressed I was. What's even worse is you feel so bad about yourself for feeling that way after being given this precious baby from God that I had hoped and prayed for for so long. But unfortunately, it's the way some women's bodies and brains handle the hormone changes after birth. Within an hour of sharing that blog post on Facebook, I had so many people email me, text me, and call me, saying they were praying for me, telling me they cared about me, and alot of you even told me your stories of how you got through similar situations. Again, I thank all of you that were there for me. It really meant alot.
Anyways, I've got to go to bed...It's 12:33am!!! Haha. I'm a night-owl. What can I say?! Good night and I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Mine's going to be busy!
P.S. Say a special prayer for my best friend, Audrey. She was due this past Tuesday with her first little boy, Austin, so she's now three days past-due. I know she's uncomfortable and so ready to meet this sweet man.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Sick.to.my.Stomach. :(
Straight to the point...Barrett was circumcised when he was one day old. It was a "conservative" circumcision as a handful of doctors have described it, even though we wanted a normal circumcision. I haven't wanted to intervene medically since then because: A) We have consulted at least five doctors (a few pediatricians) and they all agreed that I shouldn't get it fixed because it was only cosmetic, B) I can't stand to put my son through pain if it's unnecessary, C) It has caused no bodily harm, and D) I was told that it would look completely normal after he went through puberty. I've had a lot of people nag me about getting it corrected but Ty and myself would carry the life-long guilt, if something were to go wrong during the procedure. So, Ty and I always decided against it. Until now, it has been simply cosmetic anyways.
Well, we had something medically wrong happen a few days ago so I took Barrett to Convenient Care. I'm not going to go into detail with "what" went wrong. There are just some things that I keep private, sorry. Anyways, the doctor referred me to a urologist at Jackson Clinic and we had that appointment today. I'm beyond relieved to hear the doctor doesn't think it's anything serious but he does want to do surgery, which was my ultimate fear. The whole thing just terrifies me. It's going to KILL me to stand there and watch Barrett be put to sleep using anesthesia. I'm sure many tears will be shed that day, haha. The appointment is scheduled for January 17th at 11:00 am. The doctor said it should only take about ten to twenty minutes so it's not that bad. It's ten to twenty minutes longer than I'd like, but that's OK. He said that if this current situation had not come up, he would not want to operate but with all considerations, it's better to do it sooner than later.
On a positive note, I had such a good time with Barrett today! We had his doctor's appointment then went to lunch with my mom (Granny) and Steve (Doo-Dah). Then, we did a little shopping, got my car cleaned, did a little more shopping, visited daddy at work for a bit, then came home and spent a little time just playing in the floor together. After Ty got home from work, the three of us went to dinner. So, today's been a great day for sure! Barrett went to bed like a pro tonight again. I laid him in his crib at 9:30 and he just laid there, not making a peep. It took him about ten minutes of rolling around with his stuffed animals and blankets, for him to actually fall asleep. I just love my mini best friend!
On a totally different note, I may have to make my blog private soon, sorry. I'm still trying to decide. I figured I would make it viewable only to people that have Google accounts and request to follow my blog. I really hate to do that so I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Blogging is not a way for me to start drama. It's not my purpose to brag or show off. I never mean to send off a negative message in any way. It has just recently come to my attention that subjects from my blog are being passed onto others, in a different form, carrying a different report. To be honest, I'm not quite sure how this happens or why, but it obviously does. I use my blog as an outlet. I know some people don't believe in broadcasting their life over a blog but I'm not some people. I'm Ashlie. I don't really feel like I broadcast my entire life anyways. Trust me...there are TONS of things that I would never EVER put on here for everyone to see. I do keep a lot of things private. I always read through my blogs a handful of times before posting them, to make sure I don't mind any and every one reading it, because that's always a possibility. Some people use an old-fashioned pen and paper as their outlet. Some people don't use anything as an outlet. Some people use blogs. I'm a blogger and that's OK. If you do come back one day and see that it's private, you are welcome to add me on Google and you are more than welcome to read away!
Now, back to Barrett's upcoming procedure. If everyone will just keep Ty, Barrett, and myself in your prayers on January 17th, we would be much appreciative! I pray that Barrett does great with the procedure and heals quickly! I also pray that he does wonderful with the anesthesia and doesn't suffer from any side effects. I pray that I can make it through the procedure without losing my mind :/. I pray that Ty is blessed with lots of patience that day.
I hope everyone has a great rest of the week!
Well, we had something medically wrong happen a few days ago so I took Barrett to Convenient Care. I'm not going to go into detail with "what" went wrong. There are just some things that I keep private, sorry. Anyways, the doctor referred me to a urologist at Jackson Clinic and we had that appointment today. I'm beyond relieved to hear the doctor doesn't think it's anything serious but he does want to do surgery, which was my ultimate fear. The whole thing just terrifies me. It's going to KILL me to stand there and watch Barrett be put to sleep using anesthesia. I'm sure many tears will be shed that day, haha. The appointment is scheduled for January 17th at 11:00 am. The doctor said it should only take about ten to twenty minutes so it's not that bad. It's ten to twenty minutes longer than I'd like, but that's OK. He said that if this current situation had not come up, he would not want to operate but with all considerations, it's better to do it sooner than later.
On a positive note, I had such a good time with Barrett today! We had his doctor's appointment then went to lunch with my mom (Granny) and Steve (Doo-Dah). Then, we did a little shopping, got my car cleaned, did a little more shopping, visited daddy at work for a bit, then came home and spent a little time just playing in the floor together. After Ty got home from work, the three of us went to dinner. So, today's been a great day for sure! Barrett went to bed like a pro tonight again. I laid him in his crib at 9:30 and he just laid there, not making a peep. It took him about ten minutes of rolling around with his stuffed animals and blankets, for him to actually fall asleep. I just love my mini best friend!
On a totally different note, I may have to make my blog private soon, sorry. I'm still trying to decide. I figured I would make it viewable only to people that have Google accounts and request to follow my blog. I really hate to do that so I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Blogging is not a way for me to start drama. It's not my purpose to brag or show off. I never mean to send off a negative message in any way. It has just recently come to my attention that subjects from my blog are being passed onto others, in a different form, carrying a different report. To be honest, I'm not quite sure how this happens or why, but it obviously does. I use my blog as an outlet. I know some people don't believe in broadcasting their life over a blog but I'm not some people. I'm Ashlie. I don't really feel like I broadcast my entire life anyways. Trust me...there are TONS of things that I would never EVER put on here for everyone to see. I do keep a lot of things private. I always read through my blogs a handful of times before posting them, to make sure I don't mind any and every one reading it, because that's always a possibility. Some people use an old-fashioned pen and paper as their outlet. Some people don't use anything as an outlet. Some people use blogs. I'm a blogger and that's OK. If you do come back one day and see that it's private, you are welcome to add me on Google and you are more than welcome to read away!
Now, back to Barrett's upcoming procedure. If everyone will just keep Ty, Barrett, and myself in your prayers on January 17th, we would be much appreciative! I pray that Barrett does great with the procedure and heals quickly! I also pray that he does wonderful with the anesthesia and doesn't suffer from any side effects. I pray that I can make it through the procedure without losing my mind :/. I pray that Ty is blessed with lots of patience that day.
I hope everyone has a great rest of the week!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
My baby's growing up :(
I mean, obviously all babies grow up but it's so hard/unbelievable when it's your own. This time a year ago, Barrett was SO different. He was six weeks old and weighed around 14 pounds. He wore size six months in clothing and size one in shoes. He woke up randomly during the night and was on no kind of schedule, whatsoever. He drank around four ounces of powdered formula every two to three hours. He enjoyed laying in his bouncy seat, playing with a few small toys. Now, Barrett's 58 weeks old and weighs around 26 pounds. He wears size 18-24 months in clothing and size five in shoes. He sleeps a solid ten hours a night, sometimes twelve hours, very rarely waking in the middle of the night. He's finally decided he'll take on a schedule. He moved on from formula to about twelve ounces of whole milk a day and eight ounces of water and juice. He eats four meals a day and one snack. He loves cheese, bananas, pasta, green beans, and ice cream. He's definitely my child ;p.
He is just such a wonderful baby...really. I'm not saying he's perfect. No one's perfect. He's still a one year old and a male one year old at that! But seriously, I couldn't imagine having a more cooperative baby. For the past week, Ty and I have been able to lay our thirteen month old in his crib at bedtime and he doesn't make a peep. Even if he's not sleepy, he'll lay there, quiet as a mouse, until he falls asleep. In the mornings, I'm able to turn on a Mickey Mouse DVD in his playroom (right beside my room for all of you worrying about how I'm able to see him) and he'll play with his toys and watch his movie while I get a shower and get ready for work. Also, he's a really good eater. He eats the same proportions that I eat at times, which seems like a lot for a one year old. He's reached the age where he strives to entertain strangers when we're in public and I love it! Most of the time, he makes many new friends and they'll talk and play with him, which he just eats up. Rarely, we'll have a grouch ignore him and it breaks my heart. You can see in his little innocent eyes that he just doesn't understand why they don't even smile at him. I mean, how can you not even smile at a sweet little baby gleaming at you?! If you don't want to have a conversation, I understand but at least smile at him :(.
He's really good about not getting into things like electrical cords and plants, etc. Of course I still watch to make sure he doesn't get into anything because I know that one day, he may decide that that electrical socket looks very interesting ;). The only things so far that we have to really keep an eye on with him are: A) Lilly's food and water dishes, and B) the toilets :/. I've caught him twice with Lilly's food in his mouth. She eats dry dog food which is a good and a bad thing. It's good because it doesn't seem as gross as wet dog food would be in his mouth but it's bad because he could easily choke on it. He loves to stick his whole hand in her water dish and splash it everywhere. He hasn't dumped the whole bowl yet...YET, I said. The toilet situation is just disgusting. He's done it twice now...that is, he's stuck his hand IN the toilet water. The first time, I was getting ready for work and it didn't take him thirty seconds to get out of my sight and hands-first in the toilet. After that incident, we've kept our toilet lids down and the bathroom doors shut. BUT...I came down with some kind of virus Saturday night and felt too bad to even think about shutting the toilet lid or the bathroom door. I was running 102 fever, chills, body aches, weak, and felt really nauseous but never actually got sick (thank goodness for Barrett's hands' sake). I just felt awful and came back to bed and crashed. Next thing I know, Ty's like, "Ashlie!!! You didn't shut the bathroom door and Barrett's been in here splashing in the toilet!" Dis.Gust.Ing. But, I feel like that's Ty's fault...he knew I was sick ;). He should have watched B closer, maybe!
I've been told a lot lately that Barrett's beginning to look more like me than he does Ty...FINALLY! His eyes seem to be turning green or brown though :( Not that brown are bad. It's just that my mother, two sisters, and myself, all got our blue eyes from my great grandfather that Barrett is named after, so it would be nice if he kept his blue eyes too. Charles Asa Walker was my great grandfather's name and Barrett's middle name is Asa. 'Daddy Charles' was a wonderful man. He treated my great grandmother like gold. They were what every loving couple should strive to be. They had an unconditional love that was explained by the way they treated and looked at eachother. They must have been special people because they have four great great grandchildren that are named after them. My nephews' names are WALKER Penn Ridgeway, Jackson CHARLES Ridgeway, and Colin BRADSHAW Davison. My great grandmother's maiden name was Bradshaw. Before I knew that Barrett was a boy, I had intentions of incorporating 'Nuna Mom's' first name, Evelyn, as either a girl's first or middle name. I just wish both great grandparents were still around to see how much they are loved and looked up to :).
Anyways, I've got to go to bed at a desent time. Barrett's got a doctor's appointment in the morning that I've been dreading but anxious for so we've got to be up early! I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week! Happy 2012!
He is just such a wonderful baby...really. I'm not saying he's perfect. No one's perfect. He's still a one year old and a male one year old at that! But seriously, I couldn't imagine having a more cooperative baby. For the past week, Ty and I have been able to lay our thirteen month old in his crib at bedtime and he doesn't make a peep. Even if he's not sleepy, he'll lay there, quiet as a mouse, until he falls asleep. In the mornings, I'm able to turn on a Mickey Mouse DVD in his playroom (right beside my room for all of you worrying about how I'm able to see him) and he'll play with his toys and watch his movie while I get a shower and get ready for work. Also, he's a really good eater. He eats the same proportions that I eat at times, which seems like a lot for a one year old. He's reached the age where he strives to entertain strangers when we're in public and I love it! Most of the time, he makes many new friends and they'll talk and play with him, which he just eats up. Rarely, we'll have a grouch ignore him and it breaks my heart. You can see in his little innocent eyes that he just doesn't understand why they don't even smile at him. I mean, how can you not even smile at a sweet little baby gleaming at you?! If you don't want to have a conversation, I understand but at least smile at him :(.
He's really good about not getting into things like electrical cords and plants, etc. Of course I still watch to make sure he doesn't get into anything because I know that one day, he may decide that that electrical socket looks very interesting ;). The only things so far that we have to really keep an eye on with him are: A) Lilly's food and water dishes, and B) the toilets :/. I've caught him twice with Lilly's food in his mouth. She eats dry dog food which is a good and a bad thing. It's good because it doesn't seem as gross as wet dog food would be in his mouth but it's bad because he could easily choke on it. He loves to stick his whole hand in her water dish and splash it everywhere. He hasn't dumped the whole bowl yet...YET, I said. The toilet situation is just disgusting. He's done it twice now...that is, he's stuck his hand IN the toilet water. The first time, I was getting ready for work and it didn't take him thirty seconds to get out of my sight and hands-first in the toilet. After that incident, we've kept our toilet lids down and the bathroom doors shut. BUT...I came down with some kind of virus Saturday night and felt too bad to even think about shutting the toilet lid or the bathroom door. I was running 102 fever, chills, body aches, weak, and felt really nauseous but never actually got sick (thank goodness for Barrett's hands' sake). I just felt awful and came back to bed and crashed. Next thing I know, Ty's like, "Ashlie!!! You didn't shut the bathroom door and Barrett's been in here splashing in the toilet!" Dis.Gust.Ing. But, I feel like that's Ty's fault...he knew I was sick ;). He should have watched B closer, maybe!
I've been told a lot lately that Barrett's beginning to look more like me than he does Ty...FINALLY! His eyes seem to be turning green or brown though :( Not that brown are bad. It's just that my mother, two sisters, and myself, all got our blue eyes from my great grandfather that Barrett is named after, so it would be nice if he kept his blue eyes too. Charles Asa Walker was my great grandfather's name and Barrett's middle name is Asa. 'Daddy Charles' was a wonderful man. He treated my great grandmother like gold. They were what every loving couple should strive to be. They had an unconditional love that was explained by the way they treated and looked at eachother. They must have been special people because they have four great great grandchildren that are named after them. My nephews' names are WALKER Penn Ridgeway, Jackson CHARLES Ridgeway, and Colin BRADSHAW Davison. My great grandmother's maiden name was Bradshaw. Before I knew that Barrett was a boy, I had intentions of incorporating 'Nuna Mom's' first name, Evelyn, as either a girl's first or middle name. I just wish both great grandparents were still around to see how much they are loved and looked up to :).
Anyways, I've got to go to bed at a desent time. Barrett's got a doctor's appointment in the morning that I've been dreading but anxious for so we've got to be up early! I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week! Happy 2012!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
A Rant...Mostly...
As you're probably thinking, this blog is a total rant by yours truly. So, if you aren't in the mood to listen to me whine, then don't continue reading or at least skip about four paragraphs. Trust me, I understand. Christmas is in five days so I feel like I should be in such wonderful spirit. I'm not in a BAD MOOD necessarily. I'm just very moody. [CONTENT DELETED DUE TO SILLY DRAMA] I'm very excited for this break from work we're about to get! Ty and I are taking off on Friday and then we're closed Monday. Barrett's daycare is closed starting this Friday until January third so I'll be taking off a couple of days next week too. Ty's mom will be keeping him the other days, while day care is closed.
Another thing I've been having a problem with lately is people wanting to tell me what I'm doing wrong or what I SHOULD be doing with MY child. I've had one person that I see fairly often, make comments to Barrett about how "he needs shoes on" and "it's too cold outside for him to not have shoes on". For starters, my child HATES shoes. He's scared of them for some reason I have yet been able to figure out. I have made numerous attempts to put shoes on him and every time, he flops everywhere, screams and cries, shivers, and his face turns bright red. He'll continue to cry for a little while and can ruin a night. Obviously, he's going to have to wear shoes when he starts walking but right now, I don't want to fight that battle, when he's only crawling. I did buy some soft-sole shoes from Old Navy last weekend and he hasn't had as much of a problem wearing them, thank goodness. He pulls them off pretty often though.
I feel like I'm pretty laid-back about Barrett, which has made a few people comment on things I do. For example, he has recently started wanting to feed himself, refusing to let me feed him. He's still not good with a spoon or fork so if it's at all possible, I let him eat with his hands. My other choice is for me to shove food down his throat while he screams and flops around in his high chair. Yeah, I could "stand my ground" and make him let me feed him but then he just wouldn't eat. I feel like I did that for a month or so and that was also the same time that he stopped gaining weight. To the point of my story, tonight we went to T.G.I. Friday's with our best friends. I ordered Barrett macaroni and cheese and french fries. I cut the french fries into pieces, put them on the table, and also put a few spoonfuls of macaroni and cheese on the table. I put his spoon within his reach, in case he decided to try to use it. He started slinging cheese EVERYWHERE, which is when I decided to take the spoon from him. A waiter (not even ours) brought my food to the table and made the sarcastic comment of "it's a good thing it's not cold/flu season" and made a "yeah right" face. Seriously?! If he's so brave and opinionated, why didn't he just come out and say, "I can't believe you put your son's food on the table and let him eat with his hands, when he could catch a cold or the flu from the table"? Number one, he's gotten a flu shot so that's a minimal worry of mine. I know it's not sure-proof but it definitely helps. Number two, it's not the end of the world if he DOES indeed catch a cold. I'm not one of those parents that freaks out about germs. I've already got enough things to worry about. Ty worries enough about germs for the both of us, LOL! It's strange because I have slight O.C.D. but when it comes to stuff like that, I just don't care.
OK, I think I'm done ranting for the time being. On a totally different note, I am SO excited that my nephew, Austin will be born soon! Technically, he's my best friend's baby but he's a nephew in my eyes! She is due on January tenth but hit 37 weeks pregnant today, which is full-term, meaning if he was born today, he would most likely be healthy and completely normal. It's amazing how much changes in only a year with a baby. It's so hard for me to believe that this time last year, Barrett was a 13 pound itty-bitty thing that couldn't even hold his own head up. Now, he's a 25 pound professional crawler and soon-to-be walker. I'm so excited for my friend to be able to experience the miracle of motherhood! It's definitely a love that is indescribable and a magnificent one at that! And obviously, I'm excited to have a new baby around to love on but be able to give back to his mom and dad, LOL. I can't wait to meet him and hopefully it will be sooner than later!
In other news, Barrett's loving food right now. His favorite foods currently are bananas, macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese, green beans, Graduates Lil' Crunchies, and most any kind of pasta. He wakes up around 8:00 a.m. and gets infant mixed cereal combined with baby food fruit as well as eight ounces of whole milk in a bottle. He eats some kind of table food for lunch with whole milk in a sippy cup around 11:00 a.m. and then a snack, usually crackers or fruit, with water in a sippy cup, around 2:30 p.m.. He eats table food for dinner around 5:30 p.m. with water in a sippy cup. Then he gets infant mixed cereal again, combined with baby food fruit around 8:30 p.m. as well as eight ounces of whole milk in a bottle. His pediatrician said that baby/infant cereal and baby food are more nutritious anyways so as long as he'll eat it, continue feeding it to him. He's normally in bed (crib) by 9:45 p.m. lately, which has been WONDERFUL! He used to want to stay up until midnight, which took a toll on all three of us. Now, he's sleeping 10+ hours a night. He's been in a better mood, since getting more sleep. He goes to daycare Monday through Friday every week, except for Wednesdays, which is when Ty's mother gets to keep him at her house. He doesn't go to daycare until 11:00 a.m. every day and I pick him up between 5:00 and 5:30 p.m., when I get off work. I LOVE getting an extra few hours with him in the mornings. I will say though, that it's a little difficult to get ready for work with him frequently hugging me and giving me sugar, while I'm flat-ironing my hair in the bedroom floor :). Trust me...I don't mind at all! He's such a sweet and loving baby and I just adore him.
I'm so extremely thankful for such a wonderful day care with teachers that I trust 100%, every time I drop him off. He has learned SO much since starting West Jackson Baptist Church's day care program. The last Mother's Day Out program he was in at a different church (not naming names) was of no benefit to him. Yes, it allowed me some free time and I was able to get some work done, but he learned NOTHING there. Keep in mind, he only went Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.. Almost every day that I picked him up, ALL of the babies were screaming and the teachers were sitting in the rockers by themselves and had a slight attitude. I thought this was normal because it was the only thing I had been exposed to. Barrett started West Jackson and it's NOTHING like that. Yes, the babies cry but the amount that I see at WJBC seems normal and the teachers always give the necessary attention to that child. They have gotten Barrett into a routine which I have so far been unable to successfully accomplish. He recently moved up classes and I was terrified because the teachers he had in his previous class weren't far from perfect. But I can now say, his new teachers are just as good as his last and I love them! I think he'll be in this class for at least 6 months if not a year longer.
Barrett's still in love with Mickey Mouse. He's his number one fan, I believe :). He's spanning out his vocabulary lately. He says, "ma-ma", "da-da", "hey", "hi-D", "bye", "yay", "I did it", and his most recent, "ball". He's even said "Doo-Dah" a few times, which is my stepfather's nickname. My stepfather, Steve, is known for getting my nephews donuts from Doo Dah's donuts, the mornings they stay with him and my mom, which is where the nickname comes from. Barrett can clap his hands, wave hello and bye, point, pull up, give five and give five "up high". He knows how to open and close Lilly's crate. He knows how to use a hair brush, toothbrush and toothpaste, television remote, and cell phone. If you ask him to point at some one's nose or a light, he will. He knows what his "cars" are. He has lots of toy cars that he loves. This morning, he decided to play with a wall outlet in mine and Ty's bedroom. I told him, "no" and pointed my finger at him. I was surprised when I got back a pointed finger at me. I couldn't help but laugh. Luckily, I had time to turn my face the other way so he didn't see me laughing. It was just too funny though, seeing that little bitty finger pointing back at me. He's definitely developed an attitude in his "old age". He still LOVES Lilly and she loves him. She has gotten a little distant from him lately though. She's learned that he's rougher with her than she cares for and knows when to steer clear. She's always under his high chair though, when it's dinner time!
Anyways, I've written more than any of you cared to read, I'm sure! Sorry! I haven't written in about three weeks though and this is a good outlet for me, even if no one was to read my blog. Everyone have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year if I don't post again or see any of you between now and then!
Another thing I've been having a problem with lately is people wanting to tell me what I'm doing wrong or what I SHOULD be doing with MY child. I've had one person that I see fairly often, make comments to Barrett about how "he needs shoes on" and "it's too cold outside for him to not have shoes on". For starters, my child HATES shoes. He's scared of them for some reason I have yet been able to figure out. I have made numerous attempts to put shoes on him and every time, he flops everywhere, screams and cries, shivers, and his face turns bright red. He'll continue to cry for a little while and can ruin a night. Obviously, he's going to have to wear shoes when he starts walking but right now, I don't want to fight that battle, when he's only crawling. I did buy some soft-sole shoes from Old Navy last weekend and he hasn't had as much of a problem wearing them, thank goodness. He pulls them off pretty often though.
I feel like I'm pretty laid-back about Barrett, which has made a few people comment on things I do. For example, he has recently started wanting to feed himself, refusing to let me feed him. He's still not good with a spoon or fork so if it's at all possible, I let him eat with his hands. My other choice is for me to shove food down his throat while he screams and flops around in his high chair. Yeah, I could "stand my ground" and make him let me feed him but then he just wouldn't eat. I feel like I did that for a month or so and that was also the same time that he stopped gaining weight. To the point of my story, tonight we went to T.G.I. Friday's with our best friends. I ordered Barrett macaroni and cheese and french fries. I cut the french fries into pieces, put them on the table, and also put a few spoonfuls of macaroni and cheese on the table. I put his spoon within his reach, in case he decided to try to use it. He started slinging cheese EVERYWHERE, which is when I decided to take the spoon from him. A waiter (not even ours) brought my food to the table and made the sarcastic comment of "it's a good thing it's not cold/flu season" and made a "yeah right" face. Seriously?! If he's so brave and opinionated, why didn't he just come out and say, "I can't believe you put your son's food on the table and let him eat with his hands, when he could catch a cold or the flu from the table"? Number one, he's gotten a flu shot so that's a minimal worry of mine. I know it's not sure-proof but it definitely helps. Number two, it's not the end of the world if he DOES indeed catch a cold. I'm not one of those parents that freaks out about germs. I've already got enough things to worry about. Ty worries enough about germs for the both of us, LOL! It's strange because I have slight O.C.D. but when it comes to stuff like that, I just don't care.
OK, I think I'm done ranting for the time being. On a totally different note, I am SO excited that my nephew, Austin will be born soon! Technically, he's my best friend's baby but he's a nephew in my eyes! She is due on January tenth but hit 37 weeks pregnant today, which is full-term, meaning if he was born today, he would most likely be healthy and completely normal. It's amazing how much changes in only a year with a baby. It's so hard for me to believe that this time last year, Barrett was a 13 pound itty-bitty thing that couldn't even hold his own head up. Now, he's a 25 pound professional crawler and soon-to-be walker. I'm so excited for my friend to be able to experience the miracle of motherhood! It's definitely a love that is indescribable and a magnificent one at that! And obviously, I'm excited to have a new baby around to love on but be able to give back to his mom and dad, LOL. I can't wait to meet him and hopefully it will be sooner than later!
In other news, Barrett's loving food right now. His favorite foods currently are bananas, macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese, green beans, Graduates Lil' Crunchies, and most any kind of pasta. He wakes up around 8:00 a.m. and gets infant mixed cereal combined with baby food fruit as well as eight ounces of whole milk in a bottle. He eats some kind of table food for lunch with whole milk in a sippy cup around 11:00 a.m. and then a snack, usually crackers or fruit, with water in a sippy cup, around 2:30 p.m.. He eats table food for dinner around 5:30 p.m. with water in a sippy cup. Then he gets infant mixed cereal again, combined with baby food fruit around 8:30 p.m. as well as eight ounces of whole milk in a bottle. His pediatrician said that baby/infant cereal and baby food are more nutritious anyways so as long as he'll eat it, continue feeding it to him. He's normally in bed (crib) by 9:45 p.m. lately, which has been WONDERFUL! He used to want to stay up until midnight, which took a toll on all three of us. Now, he's sleeping 10+ hours a night. He's been in a better mood, since getting more sleep. He goes to daycare Monday through Friday every week, except for Wednesdays, which is when Ty's mother gets to keep him at her house. He doesn't go to daycare until 11:00 a.m. every day and I pick him up between 5:00 and 5:30 p.m., when I get off work. I LOVE getting an extra few hours with him in the mornings. I will say though, that it's a little difficult to get ready for work with him frequently hugging me and giving me sugar, while I'm flat-ironing my hair in the bedroom floor :). Trust me...I don't mind at all! He's such a sweet and loving baby and I just adore him.
I'm so extremely thankful for such a wonderful day care with teachers that I trust 100%, every time I drop him off. He has learned SO much since starting West Jackson Baptist Church's day care program. The last Mother's Day Out program he was in at a different church (not naming names) was of no benefit to him. Yes, it allowed me some free time and I was able to get some work done, but he learned NOTHING there. Keep in mind, he only went Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.. Almost every day that I picked him up, ALL of the babies were screaming and the teachers were sitting in the rockers by themselves and had a slight attitude. I thought this was normal because it was the only thing I had been exposed to. Barrett started West Jackson and it's NOTHING like that. Yes, the babies cry but the amount that I see at WJBC seems normal and the teachers always give the necessary attention to that child. They have gotten Barrett into a routine which I have so far been unable to successfully accomplish. He recently moved up classes and I was terrified because the teachers he had in his previous class weren't far from perfect. But I can now say, his new teachers are just as good as his last and I love them! I think he'll be in this class for at least 6 months if not a year longer.
Barrett's still in love with Mickey Mouse. He's his number one fan, I believe :). He's spanning out his vocabulary lately. He says, "ma-ma", "da-da", "hey", "hi-D", "bye", "yay", "I did it", and his most recent, "ball". He's even said "Doo-Dah" a few times, which is my stepfather's nickname. My stepfather, Steve, is known for getting my nephews donuts from Doo Dah's donuts, the mornings they stay with him and my mom, which is where the nickname comes from. Barrett can clap his hands, wave hello and bye, point, pull up, give five and give five "up high". He knows how to open and close Lilly's crate. He knows how to use a hair brush, toothbrush and toothpaste, television remote, and cell phone. If you ask him to point at some one's nose or a light, he will. He knows what his "cars" are. He has lots of toy cars that he loves. This morning, he decided to play with a wall outlet in mine and Ty's bedroom. I told him, "no" and pointed my finger at him. I was surprised when I got back a pointed finger at me. I couldn't help but laugh. Luckily, I had time to turn my face the other way so he didn't see me laughing. It was just too funny though, seeing that little bitty finger pointing back at me. He's definitely developed an attitude in his "old age". He still LOVES Lilly and she loves him. She has gotten a little distant from him lately though. She's learned that he's rougher with her than she cares for and knows when to steer clear. She's always under his high chair though, when it's dinner time!
Anyways, I've written more than any of you cared to read, I'm sure! Sorry! I haven't written in about three weeks though and this is a good outlet for me, even if no one was to read my blog. Everyone have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year if I don't post again or see any of you between now and then!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Barrett's 1 Year Checkup
Barrett had his 1 year checkup with Dr. Woods Tuesday afternoon. Everything went as expected. He weighs 24 pounds, 11 ounces and is 31 inches long. He's between the 50th and 75th percentile for his weight and 75th to 90th percentile for his height. His head is 18.5 inches around, which is also in the 75th to 90th percentile. I asked the doctor to look at his "infected" ear again. The antibiotic (Omnicef) was making him very sick so I wanted to see if he still had to take it or if he could to swap to a different one. Turns out, his ear isn't infected, really. He said it probably was slightly infected because it was still a little red but obviously, 2 days on the antibiotics helped it. So, we've stopped the medicine, thank goodness! He had so many "bad" diapers during the 2 days he was on the antibiotic and screamed like he was in pain. I'm thinking his stomach was just hurting that bad :(. Since he's quit, he's a completely different baby. He's back to sleeping normally and isn't as grumpy as he was.
He also got his 12 month shots Tuesday. I believe he got 4 vaccinations, one shot for each. He's always gotten 4 injections but they'll combine as much as they can. For example, his 6 month shots contained 7 or 8 vaccinations but they were able to put it all into 4 injections. I was hoping he'd only get 1 or 2 injections this time but I guess they couldn't combine these. One of the vaccinations was his flu shot. He has to go back in exactly a month and get a booster for it. Oddly enough, I can't even tell by the way he's acting, that he got shots. I did end up giving him Infant Tylenol last night because he was a tad bit fussy and I can imagine getting 2 shots in the same location in each thigh will leave you sore. He's a little trooper, though ;).
I have finally changed Barrett's meals completely, since he's turned a year old. He gets 8 ounces of lukewarm milk in the morning and at bedtime then eats 2-3 meals a day with 2-3 snacks in between. He's off of baby food for the most part. He does still get a fruit serving of baby food with his cereal at night but that's it. He drinks water during the day with his meals and snacks. We sometimes splurge and let him get some watered-down tea, juice, or soda but are only going to let that happen every now and then. Everything in moderation! We had a hard time in the beginning, getting him to eat ANY table food. It was almost overnight and he decided he liked table food. He moved up classes at daycare on Monday as well and I think that helped a ton. I think that him seeing the other babies eat table food and use a sippy cup, all while sitting in their highchairs, makes him more comfortable and accepting of the changes.
Well, that's all I have to say for now! Short, sweet, and to-the-point is always good! Everyone have a great week!
He also got his 12 month shots Tuesday. I believe he got 4 vaccinations, one shot for each. He's always gotten 4 injections but they'll combine as much as they can. For example, his 6 month shots contained 7 or 8 vaccinations but they were able to put it all into 4 injections. I was hoping he'd only get 1 or 2 injections this time but I guess they couldn't combine these. One of the vaccinations was his flu shot. He has to go back in exactly a month and get a booster for it. Oddly enough, I can't even tell by the way he's acting, that he got shots. I did end up giving him Infant Tylenol last night because he was a tad bit fussy and I can imagine getting 2 shots in the same location in each thigh will leave you sore. He's a little trooper, though ;).
I have finally changed Barrett's meals completely, since he's turned a year old. He gets 8 ounces of lukewarm milk in the morning and at bedtime then eats 2-3 meals a day with 2-3 snacks in between. He's off of baby food for the most part. He does still get a fruit serving of baby food with his cereal at night but that's it. He drinks water during the day with his meals and snacks. We sometimes splurge and let him get some watered-down tea, juice, or soda but are only going to let that happen every now and then. Everything in moderation! We had a hard time in the beginning, getting him to eat ANY table food. It was almost overnight and he decided he liked table food. He moved up classes at daycare on Monday as well and I think that helped a ton. I think that him seeing the other babies eat table food and use a sippy cup, all while sitting in their highchairs, makes him more comfortable and accepting of the changes.
Well, that's all I have to say for now! Short, sweet, and to-the-point is always good! Everyone have a great week!
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Thanksgiving weekend
So far, it's been a great Thanksgiving break. Technically, this is our second Thanksgiving with Barrett but it feels like our first because he was only 4 days old for Thanksgiving last year and we were still in the hospital. It was nice spending the day, just us 3, at home, on our "first" Thanksgiving, just being thankful for eachother! Thursday night, we went to Ty's grandfather's house in Beech Bluff for dinner. Everything went well. Ty's parents ended up keeping Barrett that night and half of the day Friday. Thursday night, after Ty and I got home, we put up the Christmas tree and decorations. It took me about 5 hours to get everything done so I didn't get in bed until about 2 am Thursday night (Friday morning).
Our Tree:
I picked up Barrett around 1:30 pm Friday afternoon. I was so excited to show him the Christmas tree and decorations! However, he's not cared a single bit about any of it! I guess that's a good thing, since he probably won't be pulling off ornaments, etc. Since I picked him up, he's cried pretty much non-stop. He doesn't want to eat. He doesn't want to sleep. He doesn't want to play. He doesn't want to do nothing, though. He whines constantly. I knew something was wrong because he's normally so happy and content with everything. I've put off taking him to the doctor though because a) I haven't had time and b) I was hoping it would go away on it's on. Friday, I spent the day taking care of Barrett. When you have a sick child, it pretty much consumes ALL of your time. He wants to be held 24/7 and when he feels bad, I always give in and hold him. He'll only be this little once and I'm going to take advantage of it when I can.
When I wasn't caring for B, I was catching up on my to-do list. I finally ordered our Christmas cards, which I've been trying to do for a few weeks now. I cleaned the house a little bit. I went through some cabinets that desperately needed organized. I put a bunch of stuff out that needs to be sold next time we have a Garage Sale. That's on the list for tomorrow: actually putting the garage-sale stuff in the attic! Barrett really put up a fight, going to bed, Friday night. He would fall asleep in our arms but wake up as soon as we laid him down in his crib. He did this 5 times before we had no choice but to let him cry it out for a bit. It was 1 am Friday night (Saturday morning) and there just wasn't another option. I refuse to fall back into the pattern of letting him sleep with us. I made the mistake of doing it when he was around 6 months old and it was an extremely hard pattern to break. He cried for about 20 minutes and finally fell asleep. He slept until 11 am this morning though :/.
I've spent today cooking for my mom's Thanksgiving dinner that we had tonight. I made macaroni & cheese and cinnamon chips & fruit salsa. Both were delicious! We had so much food tonight and it was all wonderful! We finally took B to Convenient Care, after dinner and it turns out, his right ear is infected. But, the doctor said we caught it early so his antibiotic should help it not get much worse. We started Ceftin tonight and he's got to take it twice a day for 10 days. I also gave him some Infant Advil tonight to help the pain and honestly, I think that's why he fell asleep much easier tonight. I've always heard it hurts a baby to lie down, when he/she has an ear infection. I hate it because there's nothing you can really do to help him. Even holding and rocking him, he still cries from the pain. He just doesn't know what he wants. I'm hoping he starts feeling better within a couple of days.
He starts his new class at daycare on Monday, which I'm a little nervous about. He'll have 3 new teachers and will be with other infants/toddlers around 1 year to 2 years old. One of his new teachers was actually his teacher when he was about 6 months old and we really liked her so that's a little bit of relief. I know he'll eventually get used to the change but he got so close to his old teachers and I'm sure we'll have a little difficulty getting used to the new ones. He has his 1 year checkup and shots on Tuesday afternoon. He'll also have some urine test done to check for diabetes, I believe. They tried to do it when he was 9 months old but he wouldn't urinate while we were there. Instead of making us sit around and wait, Dr. Woods said we could just do it at his 12 month visit. Barrett's gotten so tall and thin! I can't believe it! He was just so stocky when he was born, I never imagined him being tall and skinny at a year old! I'm relieved though. When they announced after my C-Section that he was almost 11 pounds, I was scared that he had a lifetime of obesity ahead of him. That's definitely not the case though!
On another note, I'm so looking forward to Christmas! I just love this time of year. It's busy yet peaceful for me. I'm also excited that my best friend is nearing her due date to have her little boy. I can't wait to meet him! OK, I've said everything I have to say. I might just get in bed by 2 am tonight! What an accomplishment! LOL. Good night everyone! I hope everyone's Thanksgiving was fabulous!
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