Just when I started to feel confident...

I get pooped on, no really. Yellow cottage cheese breast milk poop that smells like microwaved popcorn. Let me take you back to the beginning of my day. When I was feeling successful.

Battle 1: Isabel isn't liking the bottle. I hid in the bedroom and Chris patiently waited her out. After putting up a fight, she took her bottle. I was so happy and proud of her when Chris brought her back to the bedroom. I just ignored her stubbornness.

First nap of the day took a while to happen, but it happened! So I was feeling good.

While she was napping, I started laundry, swept the floor, and ran the dishwasher. I was really impressed with myself.

After her nap, I wanted to get a photo of her smiling for our Christmas card. Well that was a joke. I spent about 20 minutes making funny faces and saying silly things. I got a couple ok smiles so I declared it a success.

i LOVE her huge smile!

I almost forgot...the photo shoot was interrupted because Isabel was hungry. After her snack, there was blowout number 1. I cleaned her up and stayed calm. Luckily, I was in the middle of doing wash so I could clean her dirty clothes right away. I  almost felt like a seasoned mom handling this.

We played for a good hour. I really couldn't ask for more.

Nap 2 was great. She went down fairly well and was asleep in her crib so I was going to get started on a new crock pot recipe. I was feeling very confident at this point. I had a happy sleeping baby, cleaned a little, and I was going to have dinner ready by the time Chris got home. I also got to eat lunch and cut up some veggies for snacks.

Isabel woke up. We played some more and even went for a walk. The weather was warm for this time of year. She feel asleep on our walk so nap 3 was happening! YES! Still feeling very proud at this point.

While she was sleeping, I added the final ingredients to the crock pot. I could tell something wasn't right, but I didn't stop. (Kate, sorry I didn't answer the phone. I was trying to think of how could I save dinner.) At this point, I knew dinner was going to be really horrible. I called Chris to warn him and tell him he couldn't make fun of me or bring up past kitchen blunders. He was surprisingly supportive. So I was feeling slightly hopeful.

Isabel woke up and we played some more. I was getting huge smiles so I thought we could Skype.  First we called our dear friend Marcie in the Philippines. It was short and sweet due to our internet. Then I called the in-laws. Isabel was adorable for them with her smiles and cooing. I regained my confidence and felt like a pretty good daughter-in-law. Of course the call ended with her crying, but that's normal - she's a baby.

This is the cute girl Marcie got to see. 

I figured she was hungry. Milk was served. While I was burping her, I heard it and thought shit. (Jessi, sorry I didn't answer the phone.) We ran to the changing table. I got the sleep sack off in time. The PJs would have to be changed for sure. There was poop everywhere. Just then, Chris got home. I grabbed the completely naked Izzy (I couldn't leave her on the changing table) and ran for help. I told Chris what had just happened. He was going to start a bath, when she did it. She pooped on me and the floor. Ugh! Not feeling so confident. I went from super mom to a hot mess.

Chris gave her a bath as I cleaned up the poop. We redid our bedtime routine. I put her down and she was sleeping! Victory! Well she cried a little, but was sleeping. Then cried a little again, but went back to sleep. I'll still take this as a win.

Chris tried the dinner I wrecked. He said it wasn't that bad, but the texture was off. Neither of us to could stand to eat more than 3 bites. What a wastes! It's like paste. It's so bad. I was so pleased because I felt like I had things under control or that I knew what I was doing. Not so much. Chris saw the crock pot and thinks it was also pooped on today. :( Cottage cheese and cereal for dinner. We have to go to the grocery store tomorrow.

Chicken dumpling paste - so gross!

I guess the lesson to be learned is not to be so overly confident because you will get pooped on! Should we go up a diaper size? She's just under 12 lbs. We have her in size 1-2 from Costco. (Up to 15 lbs) 2 blowouts in one day is not normal.

I know this day really wasn't that bad. It's more comical to me. I'm very happy to have Crispix for dinner. I hope my day's high and low points made you smile.

It's just a phase

Hey Blog... it's been a really long time. I've been pretty busy with little Miss Isabel. Somehow, I'm surprised that she is kind of demanding, stubborn, and very vocal. (I should have seen this coming.) I don't really know what to say. She is amazing and makes us work really hard. I'm really enjoying my time at home with her and don't want to think about returning to work just yet. Luckily, I don't go back until the 2nd week in January. I'm not really in a place where I can write very well so I'm going to give you some lists.

Things Isabel has taught us:
- The hairdryer calms her down. It's her favorite white nose followed by running water.
- She's a fan of big bounces and bath time.
- A ride in her ergo calms her down and puts her to sleep.
- She hates being burped.
- She also strongly dislikes car rides.
- Once we get her down for the night, we're good. We just have to get her down first.
- Ceiling fans and lights are magical to her.
- She likes listening to her dad play the guitar.
- Don't swaddle her. She loves to suck on her hands. (I'm not going to fight this battle yet)

Getting ride from Dad in her Ergo.

Highlights of being a mom:
- I love nursing her. It's one of the few times she snuggles me. I strongly encourage everyone to try breast feeding. It's so good for baby and you.

Post nursing snuggles with Izzy - 1 week old - so tiny

- Her smile in the morning is AMAZING!
- When I can sooth her, it feels better good.
- Did I mention her smile? I think she pretty darn cute too.

I love her huge smile! It just makes me laugh.

- She can have little conversations now by cooing. I can't wait for her to laugh... she's trying.
- Holding a sleeping baby is one of the best feelings in the world.

Sleeping pumpkin

- It's really exciting to see how quickly she is growing and learning new things.
- You learn to get by with little sleep.
- Some days I feel like I know what I'm doing.
- The demanding baby diet is amazing! Lost all the baby weight within 6 weeks. Now I'm losing pre-baby weight. (Don't worry I eat all the time. I also don't sit down and bounce most of the day.  Oh and the breast feeding helps too and rarely drinking helps as well.)

Less glamorous side of motherhood:
- What's makeup? Paint my nails...HA!
- My getting ready to go some place routine is less than 5 minutes.
- I'm usually covered in breast milk, vomit, or other bodily fluids.
- I've already stopped wearing a necklaces because she grabs them.
- I'm exhausted.
- Some days I feel like I suck at being a mom. It's not easy.

This is the post blow out photo at Barnes and Nobles. She was hungry and I had just used the last diaper. UGH! Bad one Mom... so she had to wait 10 minutes to get home to eat. Don't worry she eats ALL THE TIME! She was upset but ok.

Proof she was ok waiting 10 minutes for a feeding. (Nap after eating) I still felt horribly guilty. 

- I never know how much sleep I will get so I have to go to bed early.
- Leaking :( can be a little embarrassing.

Life has definitely changed for the better and will continue to get more exciting/fun. Everything is just a phase and it will pass. I'm trying to enjoy each phase or parts of a phase. I'm so thankful to have Isabel - our healthy little lady. She's teaching us a lot of things everyday. Sure things could be easier if she was a little more mellow or didn't fight sleep, but she wouldn't be our Izzy. One thing is for sure, our little lady has a strong personality. That makes me really happy. I think she will be a leader and not a follower.

She makes so many faces.

I also want to give a huge thank you to my sister and all my friends who are moms.  Especially my mommy friends that also have demanding kiddos - you know who you are. Your tips and our conversations have meant so much to me. If you have a easy baby, it's hard to get it. I'm so thankful for all the support and encouragement we have received.

A little advise to my friends who will have kids someday. Join a moms group or a breastfeeding support group!(ours is free through the hospital) I have made some amazing friends that have babies just a few weeks older than Izzy. We go to class with the kids once a week and get together for lunch or mall walking. We also exchange messages regularly. They are the best cheerleaders! We can pick each other up when we are feeling frustrated.  I'm so thankful to have their support.

Isabel's friends from our mom's/breast feeding support group.

All the ladies...oldest to youngest (right to left) All within 3 or 4 weeks of each other

These are a few of my favorite things...

Since I'm a mommy now, I've been learning many things very quickly. (I love my new title!) I want to share a few of my new favorite things because we have a some great friends that are expecting Isabel's BFFs in the spring.

- Bravado Nursing Tank

I don't like the price about $50. I got my at second hand sale for $4. I also got one on ebay too.



- Boon Bottle Drying Rack

Love it!


-  Nose Frida

Good bye bulb syringe! The Nose Frida is a million times better and very gentle on their little noses. Don't forget to buy some nasal saline too.



- Ergo Carrier with Infant insert

We weren't going to get this at first because my friend, Amy, gave us her Baby Bjorn. When I tried the Bjorn the first few times, Isabel didn't like it at all. When we were shopping at TJ Maxx we found this Ergo for a really good price. We also bought the infant insert that keeps her really snug. She likes the Ergo. I use it in the morning while I'm getting ready if Isabel is in must be held mood. It's been great for hiking too because it has a hip strap so it is easier on my back. It also puts her to sleep quickly. There have been times that I take her for a walk in the Ergo just to calm her down.  It also has a sun cover, the colorful part, which is crucial in NM.

-Candy Crush/Smart Phone

These fun things help pass the time while I'm nursing. How did people do this without these toys. There are also some pretty cool apps that I use for keeping track of nursing, sleeping, etc.

Another great app is Wonder Weeks! If you have time, read the book. It helps explain big developmental leaps and the fussiness that can accompany them.

Baby Valley's Arrival

So it's been a while. Life has changed a great deal  and our priorities have been shifted. There have been so many things I have wanted to share, but I haven't had the opportunity. Isabel is sleeping in her crib next to me so I better type quickly because I have no clue when she will wake up.

Here is the last belly photo we took:

We made it to 39 weeks and a few days before Isabel arrived a few days early. 

I want to share some highlights from her birth story - not the whole thing. If you think it's TMI, I figured you would stop reading. The reason I want to share some of the highlights are for my friends who are expecting. It's nice to know what's ahead of you. If you want more details, call me.

- My first contraction happened as the bell rang for school to start. Of course, I thought it was a false alarm so I stayed at work. 3 hours later I had my next contraction, which I also thought was a false alarm. An hour later I had another one. I finally started to think something was going on. Once my contractions were 30 minutes apart, I knew I had to leave. There were only 20 minutes left in the school day when I left. 

- I wanted to drive home, but my principal wouldn't let me so she drove me home. On the ride home, I called Chris to tell him to come home. At that time Chris was on a microscope in a room with poor cell phone reception. When I couldn't reach Chris, I called his lab. His coworkers were very concerned and sounded more panicked than me. They got the word to Chris and he was home shortly after I arrived. 

- The first this I did when I got home was shower and shave my legs. This was great advice my friend gave me.

- We labored at home for 3-4 hours. I waited as long as I could before going to the hospital. 

- When we got to hospital, I was already 5cm dilated, 100% effaced, and baby dropped. It was NOT a false alarm.

- Then started the 12 hours of natural labor. I wasn't super sure about going natural, but I am glad I did. Around 8 cm, I wasn't a happy camper to say the least. I really had nothing nice to say to Chris - sorry.  Here are the things that made labor bearable: 

- The tub ~ I spent hours in the tub.

- Our L&D nurse ~ she was more of a doula ~ we would have been lost without her!

- yoga ball

- Chris opening alcohol wipes so I could smell them ~ helps with nauseous - SERIOUSLY

- Chris

- ice chips

- relaxing music 

- I totally lost track of time. It hurt... really hurt, but you do forgot about the pain quickly. Isabel arrived and she was perfect. I got to hold her for a really short period of time. Then started the worst part, my placenta didn't detach so they had to manually remove it. OWwww! That really hurt and I couldn't hold Isabel again until after they were done ~30min. 

- I have been fortunate to recover quickly. We are even more blessed that Isabel is healthy and we think she is BEAUTIFUL!  We are doing really well, are so in love, and can't remember life without our peanut. 

Heading home as a family of 3!

Hopefully another solid nap time will happen again soon and I will have had "enough" sleep that night so I can try to write.

And It's already September

Where did the time go?  So much for shorter more regular posts - sorry blog.  August was a busy month for us. It's a month with a new focus of keeping my feet up too, which makes stilling in front of the desktop more challenging.  Here are some of our highlights from August:

- We celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary with a fancy dinner out at great steak place in Old Town.

Aug 2008

- I went back to work, that was adjustment from summer.  Chris and I joke that one pregnant day (at this stage) at work is like 3 normal days. My energy is still pretty good, but not what it was. Our Open House Night, when I was at work until 7pm, was ridiculously hard for me. I kept trying to sit as I was talking to parents. Hopefully, I put on a happy face and they couldn't see I was ready for bed.  I started the year with 21 students and now I have 26 - low numbers made us create a combo class. I'm just thankful I'm not teaching a combo and I'm still teamed with Amy, she's basically the best thing that happened to me in ABQ (this quoting Amy) - amazing friend and great coworker. 

- I dyed my hair, which was a little shocking to me and Chris. I told my stylist to dye my hair to match my roots. She checked the color and consulted with 2 other stylists because she was surprised it was so dark.  I was there for over 2 hours. They had to dye my hair red first because it was so blonde then back to brunette.  I had been highlighting my hair for 12 years. I had no idea it was so dark. It has faded a little now and I'm more use to it.  You can actually tell my eyes are hazel now and not brown.

- We've enjoyed spending a lot of time with our friends. 

- We went ballooning. We joined a balloon crew last year, which was an awesome way to experience Fiesta. We won't be helping as much this year, but a few weeks ago we went to help.  Chris even got to go for his first ride!  Don't worry I stayed on the ground and didn't even help much. 

The new balloon. 

They practiced a landing so Chris could hop in. Chris is getting the safety talk from the pilot.

Chris taking off!

- We have had a lot of doctor appointments for Baby Valley.  Everything is going well and she is still growing. I'm sure this won't surprise you, we are going to have a big baby. It's all just guessing right now, but I think it is safe to say she will weigh at least 8 lbs.  I'll be surprised if she doesn't. The nursery is pretty set.  We still don't have a name, but we're working on it. Now it's just waiting time. My hope is that she comes on a weekend so I'm not in labor at school.  I would also love it if she would wait until next weekend or later. I would really like to teach one more week. Yes, I'm aware that I can't control this and I am crazy, but I like teaching so if I can squeeze in a few more days working, perfect! I hate thinking at the end of each school day that I hope to see my students tomorrow or after the weekend. 

Baby girl has received lots of love from WISCONSIN! She owns zero Vikings/Gopher items. She does have an adorable MN state onesie. 

The grandparent wall. The photos to the right are of Chris' parents, my parents, and us.

The thrifty storage solution. Do you like the green storage boxes? Would you like them better if I told you they were free? They are paper boxes from the copy room at my school. We covered them in contact paper that I've had for years.

Currently we are at 38 weeks, 39 weeks as of tomorrow, which reminds me we need to take another belly photo. She's due in 9 days! Any bets on when she will actually come? Our next appointment is on Tuesday.  I'm trying my best to stay calm and not get too scared. I'm so thankful for my sister and mom friends that have been listening to me panic about "THE EXIT." They have been really helpful and understanding. We can't wait to meet her, hold her, and see who she looks like.  

34 weeks just before school started (it was probably 35 weeks knowing our Valley time issue) - Light hair and still rocking the summer glow

I think we actually took this photo at 37 weeks, but oh well - Dark hair and losing my tan

Testing out the new gliding rocker

Chris documenting one of my new daily challenges, getting up! It's so hard!

One Year Ago

I can't believe that we have lived in Albuquerque for a year as of today! It seems like forever ago that we moved down here, yet the time has also moved so fast.  I remember feeling so overwhelmed, scared, and sad when we first arrived. The first few months really were just a blur.  It probably didn't help that Chris and I both started working the day after we got here.

We have come so far in just a year. I think we are really lucky. We have made many great friends, which makes Abq so much better.  We also have the support of our friends back home too. We know how to get around the city, where to shop, and where to avoid. Chris couldn't be in a better lab. I'm so happy to be at the same school this year teaching the same grade.  And we are expecting our first child in a little over a month. Things are much better. I'm so happy she will have a bilingual birth certificate.

Don't get me wrong, I still miss home, but not as horribly or regularly. It's getting easier to see the positives in ABQ. There are still days where I can't stand it here, but I get to choose my attitude and perceptive.

I think the best part about this move is that Chris and I have truly been there for each other through everything. I couldn't ask for a better friend. We talked about going out for ice cream tonight in honor of our first year here, but I didn't want to because for some reason I have horrible heartburn. Oh well. I'm excited and looking forward to celebrating our 5 year wedding anniversary on Friday (hopefully without heartburn.)

33 Weeks

I was looking at my past blog posts and I realized that I haven't given a Baby V update since early June.  So here is an update on the kiddo.

- I'm currently 33 weeks along
- I'm feeling better good. Just a little achy when I first start moving.
- I'm still swimming and doing prenatal yoga.
- My doctor appointments are really boring, which is great!  Everything is going smoothly. We feel very fortunate.
- After our next appointment, we will see the doctor weekly.
- We have an appointment to meet a possible pediatrician, which is exciting.
- I'm measuring a week further along still.
- My belly button is basically gone now. I have been reassured it will return someday.
- She is a mover! She must take after Chris because she loves to kick.
- She's very talented at hitting me under my right ribs.
- Her room is looking pretty ready.  Nesting has started!
- She has been thoroughly showered with love from our friends and family. :) Thank you!

The biggest adjustment we have coming up is the start of the school year. I go back officially on Tuesday. Of course, I will have my largest class ever this year. I'm ready for the excitement and challenges. The plan is to work up until she arrives. We're still debating how long I will take off, but luckily I have some flexibility with my school district.

She will be here before we know it! Can't wait to meet her.

I guess we should move her dresser into her room now.

End of Summer - Summer Reflection

I only have 5 more days of Summer Break! (We have the same amount of school days as MN, we just start earlier/end earlier.) I already went back to my classroom to work today! So it's time to reflect a little on my break...

It's been a very relaxing summer. It's my first summer where I haven't worked a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th job. We figured with our travel schedule and baby, it would be better to have some down time.  Here is how I have spent my summer in ABQ...

~ Pool

I have spent many days at the pool reading or with some of my finest ABQ friends. I have also been really good about swimming laps. I do one set of 10 100s - 2 free, 1  breast (repeat), which is nothing compared to what I used to do, but I figure it's better than nothing. I'm that pregnant lady swimming and lounging in my bikini proudly.

I forgot how much I enjoy swimming. I have had a love hate relationship with it for a very long time. This is the first time in about 15 years I have chosen to enter a pool and swim laps for fun. To me I feel more zen or calm swimming laps than doing yoga. It's also the only activity I do now where I can't tell I'm pregnant. Nothing hurts and I'm still somewhat fast. 

swimming flash back!

I'm the one in blue on the block.  Looks like a relay race for the Gators.

Junior year with EHS swim mates. 

~ Nesting

- Crib - check

- Changing table - check

- Car seat - check

- Stroller - check

- Bassinet - check

- Clothes 0 - 6 months washes and put away - check

- Dresser redo project - complete

- Sheets, blankets, burp clothes washed - check

- Hanging decor on walls - in progress

- Daycare - check

- Leave paper work - in progress

- Found long term sub - check

- Thank you notes - on going

- Forgetting things - all the time!

- Cleaning - on going

- Finding a pediatrician - close

Dresser Project

Before - Chris' dresser from college that his old roommate Aaron gave to him

Chris did most of the sanding by hand. I helped out, but he did a much better job.

After - I did the priming, painting, and put on the hardware.

~ Cards from Baby Showers ~

Cute, affordable, and sentimental way to add something to the walls.

I ran low on ribbon and saw an idea for this on pinterest.  These are the cards from my ABQ friends/coworkers. 

We'll share more photos of baby's room later

~ Reading 

Funny! 

Informative, but a little overwhelming

My favorite!

I keep pushing this book to the side...sorry.

~ Netflix 

~ Pinterest inspired project

Chris doesn't like clutter on the fridge door. I was spending some time on pinterest and found this.

I made this

Those are just some of the highlights from my summer break. I really need to start doing shorter posts more regularly. We'll see if that happens.