Update from an AWOL Blogger

So I was totally busted this evening at Parent-Teacher Conferences. I stopped by to see Morgan's teacher from last year & as she took Kayleigh from me to give her cuddles she gave me the look & said, "Are you not blogging anymore?" Wow! What a loaded question! My only response was the truth...I lost my camera for over a month & then when I found it, it wouldn't turn on. I totally feel like blogging is only fun when it includes pictures...so I just haven't blogged. I have however been taking a few pics on my cell...they aren't great quality, but they will just have to do, so here we go Lara...this blog is just for you! It's gonna be a long one!

Morgan LOVES to play dress-up, so she is super excited about Halloween. My mom loves buying discounted Halloween costumes after Halloween, so Morgan's dress-up collection is quite random...somehow Morgan managed to think the army combat uniform & witch gloves with pink glitter finger nails went together!

Next she combined a leopard dress with a tiger bow tie, ears & tail. Don't forget dressing Kayleigh up like a green dinosaur!
Morgan, Kayleigh, my Mom, my sister Jodie, & myself went to Memphis to visit Graceland for fall break. The two nights we were there we went to a restaurant called Marlow's that picked us up from the Heartbreak Hotel in a pink limo. We had some wonderful bar-b-q at Marlow's & Kayleigh ate everything she could get her hands on...bbq chicken, pulled pork, ribs, & smoked sausage. She would eat until she was so full she fell asleep sitting up in the high chair...it became known as her "food coma"!

This picture was a couple of minutes after entering a "food coma" after she fell forward & knocked her head on the table...you can even see the tear flowing down her cheek. Don't worry she only knocked it hard enough to scare herself, there was no bruise or bump! ;-)

The day we visited Graceland, Morgan had a blast, but the thing she loved the most that stuck in my head was Lisa Marie's childhood swing set. As soon as she saw it she was ready to jump the fence & get to playing...she was totally adamant that I HAD to take a picture of the swing set.

Morgan also LOVED the idea of the pink caddie Elvis gave to his mother.

When we got to Beale Street she hopped from one music note to the next searching for Elvis's music note. She finally found it as we were heading back to the car & had to stop for a photo op!

Don't forget one last stop at a roadside souvenir shop before headed out of town...I couldn't resist this moment.

Morgan became a TOTAL ELVIS FAN in a span on 3 days. She started collecting guitar picks during the trip, she came home with about 6 I think, & decided that she wanted Santa to bring her a pink guitar so she can play guitar. You can see from her signature on the wall outside Graceland the last day we were there that she is hooked on Elvis...it is at the bottom of the rock.

This past Saturday we attended the WKU game. Kayleigh had her homemade WKU shirt on and a big red bow on her head! She had the Topper Spirit going on!

Tonight Kayleigh got to try Chickpea Nuggets made by Morgan's teacher from last year. She LOVED them! There were five in the container Lara sent home with Morgan. If they hadn't crumbled under Kayleigh's super tight grasp, she would have actually eaten all 5. Sorry Lara...her little fingers are still learning the finesse of pick up her food without demolishing it!

I think she probably ate the equivalent of maybe 3 Chickpea Nuggets. After the nuggets she still ate an entire 6 oz jar of broccoli & carrots with cheese!

Food makes Kayleigh one happy girl! If it fits in her mouth...it's a safe bet she's is gonna eat it!

Can I get some cheese with that whine?

I picked Morgan up from after school today and everything seemed hunky dory. When I was getting in the car, she asked what we were having for dinner, I said pizza. Morgan whined, "I want McDonald's!" I replied we are not eating out tonight, Mommy is going to cook dinner when we get home while you finish your homework. The she proceeds in whining while telling me that she forgot her library book at school today. I reply with, "that's okay Morgan, you can bring it home tomorrow." She whines, "No I can't we have to bring it back tomorrow!" I reply, "Morgan honey you just got the book today, you get to keep it for a week, so you still have plenty of time to bring it home to read before it is due back." Morgan screams, "No we don't you don't know anything mom!", and begins crying.

Let's just say everything rolled down hill from there! She was absolutely defiant over finishing her homework, consistently whined about "needing" to watch TV, and only ate about half her dinner. After we had been home about an hour & a half, I put her whiney behind to bed, once again explaining that the only thing she "needed" to do was her homework or go to bed. Then she proceeding whining about how she didn't know how to go to bed! After 30 minutes of whining in her bed and then spilling the last drink of a soda she wasn't supposed to even have in her room on her bed (BTW I didn't even strip the bed since I had just made the darn thing with fresh sheets not 45 minutes prior to her spilling soda on it, I just fold a towel in half and put it over the wet spot and told her to lay down) she finally whined herself to sleep!

So of course the only way for me to wind down & de-stress is to blog about it (since the isn't any wine that goes in a glass in the house). Not sure if I feel any better about it, but hey both kids are asleep & I am heading to bed myself in about 4 minutes! I am completely drained after my lovely evening! Let's just hope Morgan wake up on the right side of the bed tomorrow!

My Water Broke...

This has been such a crazy week, so I am going to try not to ramble! Wednesday was a big day in our household. Morgan had her first day of 1st grade & Kayleigh had her 6 month check up. Kayleigh's check up went well. She tipped the scale at 17.3 pounds & measured 25 inches long. Now while this weight is completely normal for a baby her age, it continues to amaze me! Morgan did not even weigh 16 by her 1st birthday, so having a 17.3 pound 6 month old is a little weird for me. Kayleigh has become my little Chunky Monkey! I love every chubby little arm, leg, hand, foot, finger, & toe!

Morgan was very excited about starting the 1st grade & she continues to be excited. She proudly tells anyone who asks that she is in the 1st grade at TC Cherry & her teacher's name is Mrs. Kickert! She changed her mind at least 3 times about what she would wear on the 1st day and carefully packed her backpack with all of her supplies, even double checking that I wrote her name on the correct items and spelled it correctly...as if I could spell it wrong, considering I am the one who gave it to her! Morgan sitting at her big girl desk! She wasn't too keen on me taking pictures or making a big deal about her big day. As we pulled into the parking lot, she looks at me and says, "You are not going to seriously walk me up in there are you?" I reply yes, then Morgan says in a very tween tone, "Mom, I'm in the first grade. None or the other parents are going to be in there!" Boy was she wrong...& I knew she would be, because I know many of the other parents! However the best moment of the morning came as we stepped from outside into the cafeteria & Morgan grabbed my hand & held it all the way to her classroom...my heart melted & I had to chuckle inside just a little, because she just proved she will always be my baby!

The mommy's little girl attitude did fade once we were in the classroom! When I asked her if I could at least take 1 picture of her so that it would show her whole outfit, she turned in her chair & smiled, but right as the picture snapped, she stuck out her tongue...typical Morgan!
Morgan was still grinning from ear to ear when I picked her up that afternoon!

Oh I just realized I didn't tie in the title of this post yet! Funniest moment of the week came Thursday afterschool/work. I stopped to get gas & while I was filling the tank, Morgan opened up the car door to tell me, "Mom! My water broke, I gotta go pee!" I nearly fell to the ground in hysterical laughter!

Mommy's little helper!

Morgan can be a very good big sister when she wants to be, which it most of the time. Today we had a very long day at the church picnic. By the time we got home, we were extremely tired, sweaty, sticky, & stinky. After we all cleaned up, Morgan wanted to feed a very tired, and a little cranky Kayleigh! Here she can be seen posing for the camera in her I am a cute little momma pose kissing Kayleigh on the forehead!Morgan got so tickled with herself that the next obvious step was to lick Kayleigh's forehead!

By this time she was extremely tickled with herself! I was actually able to finally get a candid shot of her being the wonderful big sister she is, sweetly feeding Kayleigh her bedtime bottle!

There are very few things that Morgan has been willing to "pass on" to Kayleigh. Baby blankets were a definite NO! However this little stuffed cow Morgan has named "cowie" has been lucky enough to be passed down to Kayleigh! This has become her FAVE stuffed animal! My dad would be so proud! I think Kayleigh will be a definite country girl at heart!

No two children are alike!

So over the last six months I have learned one definite thing about my children...no two babies are alike! When Morgan was a baby, she never was a very big eater (however that has changed as she got older). It was always a struggle to get her to finish her bottles, she had projectile spit up, and when it came time to introduce baby food, she eat well, but she was very calm about it. It took her about 4 years before she eve caught up with other kids her age weight wise. Even today while she seems to be hungry all the time, she is still a very lackadaisical eater, nibbling a little here & a little there.

Kayleigh on the other hand has been a serious eater since the day she was born! She sucks down her bottles a quick as she possibly can. She did have a little bit of a reflux problem at first, but she has pretty much out grown it now. Now that Kayleigh is eating baby food, meals have become a speed event! I can't ever seem to shovel it into her mouth fast enough...she screams between bites until the spoon it inches from her mouth...here is a picture from last nights feeding.
You know Kayleigh is full when she stops fussing between bites. Last night she strated trying to devour a toy on her exersaucer between bites when she hit the full stage. Patience while eating is definitely not her forte. Not to mention that at nearly 6 months of age, Kayleigh weighs more than Morgan did when she turned 1!

Growing up too fast!

Kayleigh has started purposely reaching out for things...toys, her pacifier, the pull ring on her floor toy that makes music when this ring is tugged on, etc. She especially likes things that make noise! Tonight she was laying on her floor mat kicking around as happy as a clam until her foot kicked a Hobby Lobby plastic bag that had folders Mom had purchased for Morgan in it. Now before K started kicking herself around, this bag was a good 2 feet from her! Well all it took was for her foot to touch it just one time. In a matter of seconds, she had hooked the bag with her toes & had maneuvered it to hers hands & had the handle headed toward her mouth! Not to worry, Mom was watching very closely the whole time, the curious part of me just had to see if she could do it!

This morning I placed K in her exersaucer while I fixed my hair & got dressed. When it was her turn to get dressed, I held out my hands to her saying, "come to momma." Normally this elicits no response but a smile & her sweet dimples, but this morning she threw one arm my way! YEAH!!! We are making progress! My little girl is growing up fast...I can't believe she will be 6 months old in 7 days! Now if only I could get her to sleep through her 3:30 am feeding!

No Motivation!

So I just have to say it...I have been lacking motivation lately, well let's be honest it started when I went back to work from maternity leave. Don't take this the wrong way, I like my job, and I like working, but then again, I don't have a choice, I HAVE to work! But since returning to work I have had the hardest time keeping my focus, staying on task & getting myself motivated. I find myself washing dishes & clothes only when necessary, & not putting away the clean clothes (they are piled on top of my bed, while I sleep on the couch.)

I get off work, pick up Kayleigh, run to the grocery if needed, or run through the drive-thru, then head home. Once home, I look around and think of a million things to do, but just never decide on a good place to start. So my goal the week, is to get my house in order. I am making my list, & hopefully I won't have to check it twice. Cross your fingers that I find my inner cleaning pixie...she's been lost, & I really need to find her!

Pics of the Girls

Kayleigh during Spring Break '10 (2.5 months old)
Morgan at the Nashville Zoo - Spring 2010 (5 years old)

Morgan, Morgan "Brickhouse" Barby, & Kayleigh after the first Vette City Roller Derby bout!
Morgan has become a huge fan of our local Roller Derby!

Kayleigh with her Godparents, George (my brother) & Tracey (one of my best friends)
Baptism 5/16/2010

Morgan & Kayleigh at my friend Stacy's Wedding Reception.

Morgan is a very PROUD big sister! June

The Exersaucer Mishap!

So I am playing Frontierville on Facebook, completing challenges when I here Morgan yelling Mom I need you help! I get up & head in the direction of my bellowing 6 year old expecting that she simply wants help in the bathroom. Instead I see that she has climbed into Kayleigh's exersaucer & she is stuck! Does it make me a terrible mother that I wanted to run and get the camera to document this hilarious moment in cyberspace? If so, relax I didn't take a camera break! But we did have to figure out how to bend her leg back underneath her so that I could lift her out...not an easy task. The once she was back on her feet we had to work the leg holes of the seat back down her legs. Morgan was only semi-traumatized, but just enough that I don't think she will try it again! While I didn't stop for a camera break...I must admit I couldn't stop laughing once I knew she wasn't really hurt!

Failed Attempt at Coconut Ice Cream!

So my mother made this fabulous coconut ice cream on the fourth of July. Ever since then I have been craving homemade coconut ice cream. I picked up everything I needed at the store about a week ago, then came home to find that the canister of the used ice cream maker I found at a garage sale last summer was rusting on the inside! Bummer! So I borrowed a Cuisinart 2qt ice cream maker from a friend yesterday. It is one that has the canister that you freeze so that you don't use ice. First let me say that I would rather have the old ice & salt ice cream maker anyday. Even with cold ingredients the gel canister thaws out too quickly and doesn't freeze the ice cream all the way through. Second the recipe I found on-line turned out not to be as good as my mom's! It wasn't sweet enough! I was so greatly disappointed...to be craving something for a week, finally get it, & it tastes like crap! So, so disappointed, but I will live to make ice cream another day!

First Cloth Diapering Experience!

So after work today, Kayleigh & I ran to the mall to pick up a quick gift. Then we headed home to get K all diapered up. I guess it went ok, however folding my first cloth diaper was quite an experience, but K was VERY patient with me. I was trying to decide which way I should fold it...one way was extremely long and the other was good for the length but extremely wide! figured out a way to make it work, or least it seems to. I think this will definitely be a practice makes perfect venture! So far no leaks, just a really fluffy behind!

A New Beginning...in More Ways Than One!

So I have tried to blog before, but never been very successful...I think my life was either just too boring before, or I was just keeping my life too close to the vest for fear that others would not approve! Well not anymore! I would have to say that I am happier right now that I probably have been in years! Morgan & I moved out on our own (long story) right after I found put I was pregnant with Kayleigh this time last year. Since moving, Morgan started Kindergarten with some of the best teachers I have ever known, she learned how to cope with her new life & pretty much non-existant dad, & she became a big sister to Kayleigh and continues to deal quite well with it all!

I have learned that I can do this parenting thing all by myself, cause let's face it, I had pretty much been doing it on my own for years anyway! While money is often tight, I am finding ways to stretch my budget & save money here & there. I have decided that now that I have been given the wonderful new laptop from my parents, I am going to take back my DVR box & drop down to basic cable. At first I thought about looking for a VCR at a garage sale, but with Hulu & most cable stations showing online episodes, I decided there wasn't a need. I can watch just about anything I want for free on the internet if I miss it when it first airs! I also keep my thermostat set so that my AC doesn't kick on and off all the time, I also turn it up (down in the winter) when I leave in the morning to go to work so that I don't cool/heat an empty house. This cut down on my gas bill in the winter & my electric bill this summer. This most recent money saving endeavor is my branching out into the world of cloth diapering.

Both of Morgan's Kindergarten teachers cloth diapered their daughters. They were the ones that first got me thinking about trying it, but I wasn't quite commited to the idea. Then a friend of mine told me about her decision to cloth diaper her second son due in about 7 weeks. That got me thinking even more. My mom cloth diapered me back in the 70's & cloth diapering has greatly improved on the last 30-some-odd years! So when I got the invite to my friends cloth diaper shower, I decided to do some research when I went to purchase my gift for baby Grayson's precious behind. For an investment of around $100 dollars, I could never have to budget for diapers again, as the size I would be purchasing for K is adjustable & works for 8-35lbs. This inventment would take her all the way through potty training! I have already spent well over $100 in disposable diapers in K's short 5.5 month life! That really put the idea into perspective for me. I found a starter kit of Econobum cloth diapers (a brand Morgan's teacher used & mention she liked) for a reasonable price, so I decided to just in. I am going to try it at home for a while & decide how I like it. Not to mention I had just purchased a jumbo box of diapers for both home & daycare use. Also, I don't want to bring the daycare into the mix until I am used to functioning with them & until I have used up the jumbo box of diapers. So the starter kit arrived today via UPS & her cloth diapers are in the wash right now to get them prepped for use. They will be ready to put on her precious tushie tomorrow when we get home from work.

I am slowly but surely building my savings and always looking for new ideas on saving money! Once I get going on the cloth diaper run, I am contemplating making her baby food rather than buying it at the store! But that is a whole other under taking all together!