Battle of the Gums

So the kids are in bed and sleeping peacefully, my house is clean, the hubby is home, and I'm gonna blog about something that has been interrupting my life all day everyday for the last week or so...TEETHING!

I must have got lucky with my son because I have NO MEMORY of having these issues with him. It's either that or my mom just didn't tell me that while I was at work and she was sitting for me he was giving her hell...doesn't sound like my mom to not tell me...soooooo I'm just gonna assume that he was an easy teether. Gabriella on the other hand...OHHH MANNNN...I'm surprised that I even have hair left after this week. She is just in so much pain...or shes just irritated...or something. I wish she could talk so I could just fix it. So I thought I would share with you my war against teething weapons. Hopefully with these things I can relax my little Princess GiGi (pronounced gee-gee) and help her cut those teeth!! 

So a friend of mine recommended that I try this net thing. So I went and bought it, some cantaloupe and grapes (already had the bananas). I balled the melon (I am the melon balling queen) and bagged half of what the melon yielded (put the rest into a bowl for Max in the morning) and bagged some grapes, sliced two bananas and bagged them, stuck them in the freezer and tomorrow I will try it out. I'm gonna put a piece or two into the net, hand it over and see what happens. The net should provide a different texture on her gums and also allow for her to gum the holy hell outta the frozen fruit and get the taste without choking. I was going to buy those Biter Biscuts but I do remember hating those things because of the mess with Maximus so I nixed that.

I've also used these teething tablets. I don't notice too much of a change after I give them to her. It's a minor fix but she just starts with the crying again within a few minutes. I also bought a two pack of baby Orajel, one for daytime and one for night time. I haven't used them yet but I plan to if it gets bad enough. I am shooting for doing this as naturally as possible but I am not one of the mommies who can just sit there as her baby freaks out just because I don't want to use the help of some pharmaceutical's, and I'm not ashamed to say so. (Though I do admire those mommies that can do so!!)

I'll definately be updating you guys about this. 

So I'm asking for prayer that the net and frozen fruit works and this mommy gets a much needed break!!

Talk to you soon, 

J

free dress day is EVERYDAY

Do you dress your kids everyday in clothes YOU pick...or do you let them pick their own clothes?

I have been told many times that until my moma got the hint to let me pick my own outfits (around 4 years old) I would throw giant fits and what not. I would even let my mom fix my hair...and as I was getting onto the bus I would take it down. (sorry moma) So I always knew when I had children that I would pretty much give them free reign when it came to the clothes they wore (with the exception of family picture's or formal events and within reason of course). So right now I am able to dress Gabriella any which way I want because she has no voice to tell me her opinion. Anyways, today Maximus decided to wear his one and only Spongebob shirt. (I DESPISE cartoon character clothing) Along with some dinosaur socks and Toy Story silver tennis shoes. So I took a few pictures and thought I'd share them. We also got Gabriella a new toy and I took a few pictures of her with that took. Lately I feel like a camera creep. This thing is ever present in our lives! 
Here they are!! 

Gabriella kickin' back in the buggy wearing her new headband from Grandmom. So simple but SOOOO cute!!

He hitched a ride on the buggy at Vons.

The shirt says "How may I annoy you?" LOL

A close up of his shoes and socks.

Gabriella with her new toy.

Her face is priceless. 

Max with his new toy (Toy Story Operation) and his dinner (Chicken strips, some kind of brocolli and raisin salad, and coleslaw.) He isn't playing it correctly obviously but he was still having a good time.

Talk to you soon,
J

Thankful Thursdays-1

I was thinking about doing a post like this on Thursdays and then I saw the Mamahood blog and just decided to link up and do it this way for my first time.

Sometimes when the days start running together into a mixture of diapers, tears, baths, feedings, and tantrums, I have to really remind myself that I am BLESSED.
There are a million things that I am thankful for...

Here are ten.

1. Healthy & happy babies.
2. Happy husband.
3. Wonderful relationship and marriage.
4. Honest friendships.
5. Amazing family.
6. My husband who works hard to make sure we have everything.
7. Good health for myself.
8. My house.
9. The internet. (silly I know...but it's the truth.)
10. A full fridge.

So what are you thankful for?
Don't forget to link up over at The Tarr Pit.

Talk to you soon,
J

The Versatile Blogger

HOLY MOLY!

My first blog award!!

Given to me by my number one FAVORITE BLOGGER Mrs. R, over at Mamahood (go check it out now!!). I am super honored!! So thank you Mrs.R!! Now it is my duty to reveal seven random facts about myself sooooo I figured I'd just get it done now!

SO HERE IT IS: SEVEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT J

1. I do not toast my PopTarts or eat them cold...I microwave them. I don't know when I even tried it the first time but for as long as I can remember that's what I've done. Oh and I don't eat the outside of them either...I just eat the parts with filling on the inside and frosting on the outside.

2. Although you would never know it NOW...when I was in high school I was voted the senior class party animal. (Oh how times have changed)

3.I so so badly wanted to name Gabriella SUNSHINE. Obviously I was outvoted on that one...but I have vowed to my husband that our next daughter will have that name SOMEWHERE in her name and since I already gave it up once, he said next time is fine. (smart man LOL)

4. I hardly ever am without a drink...EVER. Even when I'm sleeping there is a cup of water on my night table. I don't know what it is but I am always thirsty. I've even passed it on to Max, he is constantly asking for something to drink.

5.My natural hair color is pretty light...I keep it dark though. I feel my natural color is extremely drab and boring.

6. I'm the kind of person that does much better with instant gratification. I DO NOT like to wait for ANYTHING. Example: I got married in a court house. Not anyone's idea of an amazing wedding day but all I wanted was to be married to my man so I made it happen. Now of course we're in the midst of planning our dream wedding.

7. I've only had four boyfriends. One of which I married. The other three were pretty long relationships and from New Years Eve of 2004 to November of 2008 (when I got together officially with my husband) I was a single lady and mama. (Now put cha hands up! LOL)

Now for my 15 nominations!
1. The Youngs and the Restless: www.theyoungs-and-therestless.blogspot.com
2. A Beautiful Mess: http://weloveiowa.blogspot.com/
3. Call Me Laura Jane: http://www.callmelaurajane.com/
4. From Here to Eternity: http://jonandjhenstark.blogspot.com/
5. I wanna talk about me!: http://iwannatalkaboutme2.blogspot.com/
6. jenni from the blog: http://babycarterscorner.blogspot.com/
7. Life After Yes...: http://candjm09.blogspot.com/
8. Mommy of a Monster (I Mean Toddler) and Infant Twins: http://www.mommyofamonster.com/
9. Our Lovely Girl: http://littlebabyburns.blogspot.com/
10. The Planet Pink: http://www.theplanetpink.com/
11. Three Peas in a Pod (and one on the way!): http://lifewiththesweetpeas.blogspot.com/
12. Our Journey to making our own Hockey Team: http://ourjourneytomakingourownhockeyteam.blogspot.com/
13. From Marraige to Motherhood: http://jessicaralph.blogspot.com/
14. The Tarr Pit: http://www.thetarrpit.com/
15. Sweet Tattletales: http://www.sweettattletales.blogspot.com/

So if you were named by me as Versatile Blogger these are the things you must do!

1. Link back to your nominator
2. Share 7 random facts about yourself
3.Nominate 15 others for the award
4. Enjoy the fact that someone else think's your blog is fabulous!!!! =)

Once again THANK YOU MRS. R!!  You're the best!!

Talk to you soon,

J 

What does your baby feeding center look like?

So I went to the grocery store this morning with Gabriella and as I was putting away all the baby food I thought about starting a small blog hop about feeding centers/areas. I wish I would have tried out making my own baby food...but honestly, I just never got around to trying it. Next time I will. =)
So here's where I keep all the supplies:

a gallon of nursery water (to mix with apple juice)
bottles
whole grain puff snacks in various flavors (she is working hard on her hand eye coordination)
an extra box of mixed grain cereal
a canister of rice cereal (I keep refilling it, its better storage than the open boxes)
dinner food jars (and some fruit that didn't fit into the drawer, don't know whats up with the first one...kinda got squished I guess)
on top of the tupperware drawers is:
all the breast pump gear
and some prunes (just in case)
the top drawer is all fruits and breakfast foods
bottom drawer is all veggies

She is also still nursing but I don't have a nursing station (next baby I will) so I just nurse where ever we are hanging out in the house.
SO
Here's where I feed her breakfast lunch and dinner.

So join the blog hop and tell us what your feeding center/stations look like!!

Talk to you soon,
J

my three favorite big kids

Today was another HOT HOT day so my best friend (Evette) brought her two kids over (Atalaya & Chace) to swim with Max in his little pool in the back yard. Atalaya is four but will be five in November and Chace is two and is going to be three in October. I love these kids almost as much as I love my own. I've been in their lives since they were even conceived! LOL So watching them grow has been just as wonderful as watching my own! They lovingly refer to me as Auntie YaYa, and I take my role in their life very very seriously. I wont keep on and on about how much I love them LOL but I will show you a few pictures from today!

Here's Max in his Toy Story swimming clothes again. (His favorite!)

Here's Atalaya...she is a spitting image of her mommy and she LOVES The Little Mermaid just as much as I did when I was a kiddie! Hence the swimsuit!

Here's Chace! He's a real stinker sometimes but he gives me massive toothaches with his sweetness!!

Atalaya looks even more like her mommy in this picture...and this is super cute of them!













 And here's one of all three of them together.
=)

 
Talk to you soon,
J

dancing machine

Hello again fellow bloggers!

Our photographer Tracy Van Dam took a video of Maximus dancing at my best friends wedding (LOL like the movie) and she emailed it to me today! So I thought I would post it!! He is such a HAM! He is normally kinda shy and he doesn't really like to show his "skills" off around people but for some reason he got the dancing bug at the wedding and proceeded to put on an AMAZING show for all the people on the dance floor! This little man is definitely going to be a performer one day! Looks like even though I didn't pass on my looks to him I at least gave him the gift of DANCE!

Enjoy!

The little girl in the end is Atalaya. You'll learn more about her in my next blog...which will be posted shortly!

Talk to you soon,

J