two

My baby girl is two now! I can't believe my last baby is growing up so fast.

We didn't do anything "huge" for her birthday. We didn't do a party since we just moved in and to me it would feel like we were just asking for gifts from our new friends.

I took the kids to see the new Veggie Tales movie, came home and made Leah's cake and then we went bowling with our church. It was a good day, but I know when Kyle and Leah get older she won't be too impressed with us. Kyle's 2nd birthday was the biggest party ever. In my defence, we lived in Florida and had family was all around.

Before I show you a few pictures. I need to say that I got lazy with her cake, lol. And I ran out of icing. Laziness + no icing = disastrous cake! I warned you.. just ignore the cake. Boy, Leah's really gonna hate me now, huh? LOL

"Smile, Leah!"

"Cake!!!!!!"

Oh my goodness, that face expression is priceless!! Ignore the cake!! :(

k, turned it around now.. still looks bad, lol

Blowing out the candles! In the end, Daddy helped. ;)

Labor Day Meme

Jill over at The Diaper Diaries decided to do a Labor Day Meme, and I couldn't resist! If you decide to play along let me know!

How long were your labors?
You know, I don't really understand this question. None of my doctors ever told me "Hey! You were in labor for 15hrs!". So, if someone could tell me when the time "starts to count", I'd be grateful.

Anyhow, with Kyle, my contractions started Tuesday evening, didn't get any sleep that night! Wednesday had contractions ALL day long. They got closer and closer around 7pm, so we went in to the hospital. Kyle wasn't born until 4am Thursday.

With Leah, my water broke in bed around 3am. Got to the hospital around 530am. Miss Leah was born at 2:22pm!

How did you know you were in labor?
Kyle: Horrible contractions.
Leah: Water broke.

Where did you deliver?
Kyle: Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho
Leah: An AFB in Florida

Drugs?
Kyle: Asked for the epidural as soon as I walked in, had so many problems, and had to get a spinal.
Leah: Wanted to go natural, but asked for an epidural near the end. It wore off in no time, and I kept asking for more, but he wouldn't do anything about it.. next thing I know, I was insisting it was time to push!

C-section?
Nope.

Who delivered?
Military doctors, but my husband could have since he was all up in my business! hahaha.. Love ya, Babe!

update on potty-training

If I didn't have a blog, I probably would still be getting up every few hours each night, to take my son to the bathroom! I took your advice and stopped getting up in the middle of the night, and to limit drinks after 7pm. I'm happy to say that Kyle has only wet the bed 3 or 4 times, since we started!! It's such a wonderful feeling to have him completely out of diapers! One down, one more to go! :)

Speaking of Leah, she has shown a lot of interesting the toilet. She likes to go in there and try to pee, but never really does. I think she's obsessed with the idea of being like her big brother. I put her in one of Kyle's underwear yesterday, but she had an accident and didn't even seem to care that she was wet. So, I will wait on letting her be without her diapers, but still take her to the toilet every once in awhile.

I just wanted to come here and say a big THANK YOU for your potty-training advice!! You guys rock! =)

**picture credit**

Whole Wheat Waffles

Pictures taken -5/04/09

Money Saving Mom's Favorite Whole-Wheat Waffles

Yields 6-8 waffles.

1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

2 eggs

1 3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup oil or melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix together dry ingredients in one bowl. Lightly beat together wet ingredients in another. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Pour batter onto lightly-oiled waffle iron and bake until done.

These really are delicious! We love them. I usually double the batch and then freeze the waffles. When we're ready to eat some, I take it out and pop them in the microwave. As you can tell from the pictures, Miss Leah enjoys them a whole lot, too! ;)

the weekend

I found out last week that my Mama is able to read my blog now. Her boyfriend prints out each of my blog posts for her!!!! My Mom doesn't have internet, nor does she even know how to work a computer. But her bf does! I'm so excited!!! Hi, Mom!!!!!!!!!! :) It's time to put the babies to bed, so here's a re-cap of our weekend in pictures!

Kyle opening his presents

He wanted a Hulk cake. It was the only thing he talked about.

Our present to him.. a bike!! Before I know it, we're going to be taking the training wheels off, huh?!?

Whoops! Helmets are important!

Miss Leah pointing at an airplane

Kyle in Destin

Kyle ran off with his other parents (Matt and Bek), lol, so it was just us 3.

I'm so blessed to have a beautiful family!! Us with Brandon's parents

I guess I'm boring ;)

My husband said that I haven't posted pictures on my blog for a really long time.. and now it's boring! Why, thanks, Babe! =) I think I am the only wife who has a husband who checks her blog daily!

I decided to just come here and post some pictures....of my handsome hubby.. hehe. Teaches him to tell me my blog is boring! ;)

This picture shows just how much my hubby takes really good care of things he owns. He came home on his lunch break and then .. finished waxing his car! Still in his blue's (that's not his daily uniform.. this one is a "dress" uniform).

And lastly, our bestfriend's got a boat!!! So here's a picture of Brandon on it. My husband and Matt spent the day Saturday cleaning it up and changing the oil on it. I have a feelin' I'm going to be super tan this summer!! Goodbye pasty white legs!! ;)

chat

I just feel like chit chattin' for a second. Is that okay?

I made this soup for dinner the other night. It was really, really good. It was almost like a dip, but it was still delicious!! Kyle especially loved it.. he had 2 bowls the first night!! Next time I think I will add in some black beans or some other filler like corn. I didn't use as much water as it called for. And I also didn't make the Pico de Gallo.

The girls and one guy @ The Sisterhood of Shrinking Jeans are giving away SEVEN copies of Jillian Michaels' DVD, 30 Day Shred! Go here to enter for yourself!

My face has looked like one of a 15yr olds these past few months. I really don't know what is going on. It's super frustrating though. I have tried Acne Free and even ProActiv and still am broken out. I need to make an appt. with a dermatologist, but I'm still unsure of how to do that. You know 'cause we're military and I'm just the spouse. I need to figure it out and maybe can get prescribed something to help! *sigh*

I am still working out! I feel really good about myself. I've been going 5 days a week and yet have gained 2lbs. If I gain another pound, I think I'll cry. Actually, I know I will.

Leah is now 13 months old and she is still nursing. When I took her in for her 1yr check-up. Her pediatrician told me I deserved an award for breastfeeding her this long. He even told me "you rock!" haha. It was great. We are down to 2 feedings a day, so I know it won't be too much longer until it's over.

We have found a really great church. We have been church-hoppin' for quite some time now. I had an issue with them 2yrs ago (it was about their nursery and not anything to do with their beliefs or doctrines).. and I am now ok. The 1st Sunday we went there, I told the nursery workers about what happened with Kyle and I think they understand. I still make a note when I sign her in, just in case. This is the first church that Kyle really enjoys. He doesn't cry at all when we drop him off, so that's a good sign, right? :)

Speaking of Kyle, he's going to be turning three next month (or this month, depending on when you are reading this). I am not prepared whatsoever!!! I always tell him that he's my baby and he says to me "No, Mommy, me Kyle!" hahahaha. What a goofball!

Okay, it's bed time for me now!! Goodnight ya'll!!

a bittersweet time

Now that Leah has turned a year old, I decided to try to start weaning her.

I have loved (almost) every minute of breastfeeding. I only BF Kyle for 2 months, so to go this long with Leah feels great. It doesn't bother me too much to go longer than a year, but I most likely wouldn't go longer than 18 months. My husband, on the other hand, wants me to finish pretty much now.

I decided I would start after she turned a year old. She's one now and we're down to 2-3 feedings a day. We started a week ago and she has been fine with just those 2 feedings. I know I will miss nursing her when we are done.. probably a lot more because I know she is our last baby! :(

A good thing about weaning her, is that she is a lot less dependent on me to go to sleep. I have probably only ever rocked her to sleep (before now) a handful of times. Last night, she let me rock her for awhile without fussing and lay her down. She went right to sleep! I was very, very shocked. She's ALWAYS had to nurse, fall asleep while eating, and then I would lay her down. Then, this afternoon, I sensed she was tired so I started rocking her. Within 5 mins, she was out! Just looking at her sleeping peacefully in my arms made me want to cry!!

*sigh* Why, oh, why do they have to grow up so stinkin' fast!?

ONE

Happy 1st Birthday, Baby Girl. Mommy loves you, oh-so much!

I enjoyed being pregnant with you.. I just knew you were going to be a girl!

You were such a little chunker! But, I always wanted a chubby baby..

I got a kick out of seeing you suck your thumb at such an early age.. you stopped after only a few months though..

Your cheeks were and still are perfect for kissing..

You did so good when you got your ears pierced! You stopped crying as soon as your Daddy stood up.

Your smiles are hard to catch on camera.. but that makes it all the more special..

Your brother adores you.. and you adore him. He already cares and loves for you so much.
I hope the two of you become the best of friends..

You love to get in to every thing, which is why there are locks on all the cabinets. But, surprisingly, you hardly ever touched the Christmas tree.

You are a Daddy's girl. He loves you more than you can imagine. It didn't take you long before you had him wrapped around your fingers.. ;)

I'm so thankful that I'm the one you call "Mama".

I am having some serious picture issues w/ blogger.. after 2hrs, I give up. This is as good as it's gonna get! :(

It's a party!

We threw Leah's 1st birthday party on Saturday. She doesn't actually turn the big ONE until tomorrow, but it was better for everyone's schedule if we did it a week before. I still can't believe she will be a year old. I know everyone says it, but it really does seem like she was JUST born. *sigh* Why do they have to grow up so fast?

Group shot of all the kids

Rebekah, Me, Nicole

The cake I made for Leah's party (thanks for helping Bek!)

Poor Kyle, he kept wanting to open all of Leah's presents!

Yummmmm!

Leah actually ate her cake. When Kyle was turning one, he didn't even touch his cake!