My awesome Mini Van

Since the last time I Blogged, I had our third son Zachary. I actually went into labor THAT DAY I last blogged. Looking forward to writing about my labor and delivery...but for now, I want to write about my day to day as a new Mom to a newborn with two toddlers.

People ask me every.single.day, "How do you do it?" Or, they will say "You are so Blessed" or, my favorite, "Bless you, three boys...you have your hands full". My answer to all of them...anxiety medication, a glass of wine at night, and a cup of cold coffee (since I am so busy, I rarely get to drink my coffee hot or even luke warm anymore) in the morning. I also have a fantastic support system where we are. But, for those that know me...I don't keep anything in. I would rather be honest, than one day just snap and people say "she went crazy". I want people to know that I am already crazy. I just let a little out every day.

So, some truths about my day to day. Once again, NO HOLDING BACK! I just had a power nap, having a HOT cup of coffee and I feel flipping FANTASTIC. All three boys are ASLEEP. How this happened, I am not sure. Pretty sure that God knew that I needed a break, and I missed my coffee warm.

I thought having 1 child was hard...and Grady was a piece of cake! We decided to have a second, mainly for Grady. We didn't want him to be an only child. So, then we had 2 boys. Holy Hell...that was even harder! They were both polar opposites. I had PPD with my second, so that didn't help at all...but then we decided. "hey, lets have ONE MORE". So, now I have three. THREE BOYS. I have never...NEVER...in my 30 years of living been nonstop from sun up to sun down (and hours after).

There are days I don't brush my teeth until lunch time. I now buy yoga pants/leggings for my daily outfit and not to just work out or lounge in. I get excited to grocery shop alone...or even with just one child. I don't pee or poop in private anymore. There is ALWAYS an audience. R Kelly would be jealous (too far?). My toe nails get painted...just over and over. I don't have time to take the polish off and redo it. My eyebrows...omg. My eyebrows. I can't even getting started on those things. Putting makeup on is always fun. If it happens, it happens in the van while all three are strapped in and can't play with my now cheap makeup brushes. I stopped buying pricey beauty products because they end up in the toilet, in the dogs bowl, in the dirt outside, or I will find face lotion under my pillow (that's always fun). And yes, back to the van..I now own a minivan. You know what? I FLIPPING LOVE THE SHIT OUT OF MY MINI VAN!!!! I have melt downs every single day. I say to myself, "I can't do this"...I text my husband, "I can't do this". My once clean home now looks like a daycare center. When one child is being good, the other is screaming because his sippy cup doesn't have enough apple juice. Or, when the infant is screaming...they both scream. It's a competition. Who screams the loudest? MOMMY!!! Sometimes, we just have to get bat shit crazy on them. Yes, you heard me right. The "thinking chair" works...to a point. But sometimes we have to get CRAZY for them to listen. Call me a bad mom. Go ahead.

Meals aren't as healthy as they once were. I now do more convenient meals. Yes, I served my family hot dogs and felt damn proud. Most days are crockpot meals, left overs, and if they are lucky...a super awesome meal. that usually only happens twice a week. But yes, hot dogs are now in my freezer...next to the dinosaur chicken nuggets. Most people are probably freaking out that know me. Oh well...this is life. A hot dog is not going to kill them.

My bedroom looks like a hurricane hit it. I don't even want to go in there. I would rather sleep on my couch than look at the mess. I would rather my guests look at my living room and think "wow, she has it together"...so most of the mess gets tossed in my bedroom or hall closet. Don't think less of me. Admire that I admitted it. You know why? Most people do that. We all have our "room" that shit gets tossed in when we have guests coming over. I get more cleaning done in the 10 minutes before a guest comes than I do that entire day leading up to it! NO JOKE!

 The days fly by and I feel I didn't accomplish a thing...but then I stop and think. I did accomplish something. We are alive. We are healthy. I love my boys. I miss working, but I love my boys. I have arranged for help twice a week. I can't do it all. I can't keep my sanity for my boys without help. My husband helps me as much as he can..but during the day. I NEED HELP. My kids are so young, so close in age...they feed off of each other. They are active...they get bored when I am feeding the newborn, or cleaning bottles, or sweeping up the cheerios they knocked on the floor.

It has taken good friends, family, and a wonderful husband to point out that I can't be Super Mom all of the time. I am a control freak...but it's time to let that go. Life is too short to stress about the floors, the laundry, marks on the walls, toys in fridge, peanut butter on the fence, or a Betty Crocker meal every night. I write that, but I know I will stress about it all tomorrow. I know this. But, right now...I am enjoying sharing my honest thoughts, my hot coffee (so flipping nice), about to enjoy a shower (with a baby monitor next to the shower. YOU KNOW they will wake up as soon as I get my hair wet)..who knows. I might actually style my hair super cute. Damn...my makeup is in the van. My awesome...awesome Mini van.

A quick look on my 3rd pregnancy

I am now 38 weeks and 3 days pregnant with my 3rd son. And yes, I count each day and minute of this pregnancy. This won't be a long post, especially since my 3 year old just woke up and is already asking for blue cookies. (he has never had blue cookies, by the way)

As I have said in previous posts, every pregnancy is different. This pregnancy has KICKED.MY.ASS. I can't count how many times I thought I was in labor this go around. I have actually gone to Triage because I thought my water broke and I was leaking. NOPE...I was PEEING ON MYSELF. At the good ole age of nearly 30 (birthday is this month), and already having two healthy pregnancies...one would THINK I would know what it was like to PEE ON MYSELF. I am one of those that TRY not to complain too much during pregnancy, given most of my friends can't carry or conceive. But, it seems this time..I have complaints coming out of my mouth like Chelsea Handler has the Fbomb coming out of hers.

Caring for two young ACTIVE toddlers is hard to do while pregnant. People will say, "you are super mom".."i don't know how you do it"..."you are so good at this". They are ON CRACK. Ask my husband and those around me how I really am! I am one of the most honest people that will not hold anything back.

My true feelings right now...it might upset some. Sorry. But why LIE about how I feel?

- I am READY to have this baby boy. Just not to meet him. Not because I am uncomfortable (that might be 30% of it). BECAUSE...I need to get back to being consistent and disciplining my other two rug rats before they turn into the Diaz Brothers from MMA. I am limited on what I can do right now, and they are INSANE.

- Heartburn is a bitch. I look at water and feel like a fire breathing dragon.

- Hemorrhoids are a pain in the ass. hehe

- I do love talking about pregnancy with others and all of my different experiences...while rubbing my belly. =)

- I worry daily about this baby.

- I am ready to start breastfeeding...only to be DONE with breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is a wonderful thing if you are able to do it. I BF for 9 months with my first, no problems. With my second, it lasted 4 months. With this one, If I have to start cutting things out of my diet....he's getting formula. Hey, judge me..go ahead...If I am breastfeeding or formula feeding..I am FEEDING my child. I will BF for the most 9 months if it works out that way. But, I am ready to have my boobies back. I have been pregnant or breastfeeding for 4 years now....cut me some slack.

- I am TIRED of maternity clothes.

- TMI: I am ready to see my chooch again so I can groom properly and not guess what I am doing down there.

- I AM TERRIFIED that I will FREAK OUT on everybody like I did after I had my second. I really am. My anxiety was so high, but atleast I know what to look for this time.

- I am excited this is my last pregnancy, but a little sad at the same time. The excitement of the positive pregnancy test (if you are planning) is a feeling that will always be remembered. But, three is enough for our family and there is no way in HELL I can take care of 4 kids. I can hardly handle the two...poor Zachary will be in an Ergo carrier forever while I am chasing after Grady and Parker.

Looking forward to writing about my labor/delivery.....now....come out! come out! come out!

Maternity Shoot for Baby Zachary

We had SO much fun doing this photo shoot! My great friend was the photographer and had so much patience for our wild family!!! 

White Chicken Chile Enchiladas

Let me start by saying, THESE ARE DELISH!!!

I have tried many different ways to make green chile enchiladas, and so far this is the best recipe I have made! I found a similar recipe on Pinterest, and tweaked it after following that one to the T.

Green Chile's are NOT spicy. My 18 month old ate these like they were cake...seriously. I did spice mine up a bit by using Pepper Jack cheese. Monterey Jack or a Mexican Blend would work great for those that want to cool it down a notch.

Ingredients:
Flour or Corn tortillas (I prefer Corn)
About two cups of cooked/shredded chicken
2 cups of Pepper Jack Cheese (Monterey Jack or Mexican Blend would work great)
3 Tbsp of butter
3 Tbsp of Flour (all purpose)
2 cups of Chicken Broth (I use the 30% less sodium if I am not using homemade)
1 cup of sour cream
1 can of green chile's (the recipe I found called for 4oz but I used 8oz and it was AMAZING)

Before I give directions, let me add a few comments....

*You can add the chicken mixture  to individual tortillas and roll them up...OR you can layer the tortillas in the casserole dish and then add a layer of the chicken mixture and so on. I prefer to layer like a lasagna.

*I have done a quick boil of chicken to shred before to make enchiladas....and it works. However, I prefer to put my chicken breast in the crockpot that morning with a chopped up onion, some green chiles, garlic powder and pepper to give the chicken good flavor. I didn't add that to the ingredients, dang it...maybe I should have. I love this way because your house smells amazing all day and the chickens is just so flavorful! It's also easier to shred chicken that's been cooking slowly rather than boiling it. OH, and I added TWO FROZEN boneless chicken breasts in my crockpot at 9am, and it was ready to be shredded by 3...and that was set to low. I didn't add any water either.

I didn't add all of the sauce to the casserole...but I used an 8 x 8 casserole dish. A 9 x 13 dish would work great too, but I like my enchiladas to be THICK.

NOW....done rambling. Time for DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 pan

2. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute.  Add broth and whisk until smooth.  Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly

 

3.  Stir in sour cream and chilies.  Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.

4. In a separate bowl, add shredded chicken and 1 cup of cheese.

5. Pour some of the sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish. Add a layer of tortillas, then add some of the chicken mixture evenly. Pour a little bit of the sauce over the chicken just to moisten it a bit. Keep layering until you have tortillas on top. Pour sauce over entire casserole. It will look a hot mess...that's why I don't add all the sauce mixture but if you have a bigger casserole, GO FOR IT.

OR...do this method...

Place chicken/cheese mixture in a tortilla, roll them up and place in the casserole dish. Then, pour sauce mixture of the rolled up enchiladas.

 

Either technique you use, before you stick it in the oven...top that yumminess with MORE yumminess. The remaining bit of cheese. YUM.

6. Bake 22 min and then under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.

 

I let mine set and cool for about 5 minutes so the sauce thickens up a bit.

 

I added all of those tips about the Directions, because most of the time we don't read all of a recipe. so...tricked ya!

 

Enjoy!!!!

Brown-Rice Life: Jalepeno Cornbread Poppers

Brown-Rice Life: Jalepeno Cornbread Poppers

6 minute makeup for the busy lady

I am, by no means a fantastic makeup artist. I am a licensed cosmetologist, and did makeup for 8 years when asked from my Hair clients...but no MAC or Bobby Brown pro! I used to wear top of the line makeup, until I found over the counter products that work just as good (if not better), became a one income family, and was tired of my children playing in it! Most of the products I use are little scraps here and there that fit in my makeup bag, and most are a nightmare to those that actually know what they are doing. But hey, my makeup looks good...doesn't take long...so get over it. 

Most of the time, I do my makeup in the car, once the boys are buckled in. I just sit in my driveway and go to town hahaha Hey, I know where the boys are, I have good lighting, and they aren't putting monster trucks in the toilet. 

As you can see, I have brushes from all sorts, loreal mineral powder, loreal liquid eyeliner, loreal mascara, ELF concealer, ELF blush/bronzer pack, and ELF quad eyeshadow pack. These are my fast go to products I always have in my bag. I have so much more makeup, but this is what I used for this tutorial. 

My before: 

I will admit, I have pretty good skin. Didn't always, but I try to take pretty good care of it...and genetics play a huge role! Any who....

Concealer under eyes, and highlighter under cheek bones,chin, down the nose, and center of forehead. You can skip this step if you want...It only took about 20 seconds...just sayin...

Rub it in....I use my fingers. I don't like makeup sponges....shhhh

Then, foundation. I use the Mineral Powder by Loreal. I absolutely LOVE it!!! 

Blush. Finding a good color is very important. And the placement!!! I follow the bottom of my cheek bone and go up...less is more, remember that. And, I love blush brushes....they are called that for a reason!!!! 

ELF actually imprints where the colors go for those that are clueless. Just an FYI...I cover my entire lid with a natural to work as a base. 

For the brow bone, I choose a medium shade....follow under the brown brown for those that don't like to blend. I concentrate on the corners of my eyes because I have tiny eyes :) 

I have been using liquid eyeliner since I was about 14. It's not for everyone...and takes a steady hand! You can use any eyeliner you want!!!! Just don't make it too thick and don't put too much on the bottom inside corners. It will make your eyes look smaller. Who wants tiny eyes besides Taylor Swift?!?!? I mean, really. 

Which eyebrow looks better? Yep. I love powdered eyebrow makeup over pencil. It looks more natural. You just need a harder brush, like this one: 

And I use my eyebrow makeup for underneath on the outside corners. Love it! 

Apply your favorite mascara! I haven't found mine yet, and I have been wearing makeup for 17 years. 

Don't forget the lipstick or gloss! 

After! 

As you can see, my eyes and cheek bones stand out more! It's a natural look, but made a difference! I timed this, and it only took 5 minutes and 22 seconds. And that was with stopping to take pictures! I know makeup isn't a priority for many women, but it makes me feel better. Not for anybody else, but for myself.  Makeup also protects your skin from the nasty environment and UV rays! 

If you don't have 5 minutes to apply a little, atleast put on some face lotion that has SPF, some mascara and some lipgloss! 

Yum yum fruit dip

There are so many variations to this recipe, but so far this is my favorite. I made this with chocolate chips for my sons birthday, but prefer it without. Yes, I just said that...I prefer no chocolate chips. Crazy!!!!!

1 8oz.block cream cheese (softened)

1/2 cup of butter (I never said it was healthy)

1/3 cup of sugar

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Fruit, animal crackers, vanilla wafers, or just a dang spoon to eat with LOL 

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter on medium. Whisk in the brown sugar until dissolved and bubbly. Remove from heat and let cool. Letting it cool part is very important because the hot butter will make a mess of the cream cheese...trust me. HA HA once it's cool, mix in the vanilla. 

Blend the powdered sugar and softened cream cheese together till creamy. Add in the yummy butter and brown sugar mixture. Go ahead, lick that spoon. You know you want to. 

If its runny; the butter was too warm. Just stick in the fridge for a few hours. The consistency of the dip should be a good creamy dip without dripping. 

You can add mini choc chips to this as well...but as I said, I prefer it without. I dipped apples...the boys liked strawberries and grapes. 

How $1.25 can put a smile on your face

On Saturday, Grady (my 3 year old) and I went to the pool. Unfortunately, we got some yucky weather and decided to try to sit it out under the pavilion. There was another Mother/Son team there next to us. The little boy got a pack of skittles out of the vending machine. So, of course Grady wanted some. I explained to him that Mommy didn't have anymore change becau...se she gave it all to him to have THREE GUMBALLS 5 MINUTES BEFORE GETTING TO THE POOL (haha) He got a little butt hurt, but surprisingly didn't pitch a fit. All of a sudden, the little boy brought Grady $1.25....it's a good thing I had on sunglasses because my eyes filled up with tears. I looked at the mom and said "Thank you SO much. That is so sweet of you, but you really shouldn't have". She said, "trust me, I understand how it is with kids".

Simple acts of kindness warm my heart and make me want to Pay it Forward.

I never thought $1.25 would make me SO happy and have Faith in this World we live in.
Thank you to the lady with the awesome accent and fabulous haircut. You put a huge smile on this Momma's face..and yummy treats in my son's belly.

You know what's in it, fruit cocktail

My boys love fruit!!! So, we don't mind spending the little extra money on fresh fruit, and we know what they are eating. I prefer not giving them fruit that has been sitting in a can of syrup...

I recently went to Costco (similar to Sams Club) and purchased some great looking fruit in bulk. Some might think that is insane for a family of 4. Well, I don't. It's cheaper and hey...better than potato chips!!! 

I chopped up some strawberries, peeled some plums (I am not a fan of how tart the skin is) and threw in some blueberries. The color is just so beautiful, these fruits blend very nicely, and the texture is on point! Yum yum 

Mini Fruit Pizza

A friend of mine makes Fruit Pizza for special Holidays, so I thought I would give a try! Plus, I have been craving it!! So, I decided to make mini ones, using premade cookie dough cookies. 

Ingredients:

Cookie dough. I went with sugar instead of chocolate chip. I wish I had done both!!

8oz cream cheese,softened

2 cups confectioners sugar

2 cups cool whip, thawed

Your desired fruit for topping

Make your cookies according to package. In the process, start making the cream cheese "sauce" for the pizzas. 

Beat softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until creamy and smooth. Then, fold in cool whip. Nobody will judge you if you happen to take a taste of this delicious cloud of heaven!!!! 

DO NOT put the "sauce" onto warm cookies. Let the cookies cool completely. I actually put the mixture into the fridge to set a bit. 

Spread it on the cookies and add your favorite fruits!!! I used Strawberries and Blueberries for 4th of July. Raspberries and mandarin oranges are delish on this dessert!!! 

I do recommend patting the fruit dry, so it doesn't run. 

There are many recipes for this, and I honestly don't think you can go wrong either way. I preferred to use powdered sugar instead of white sugar because I wasn't sure of the texture and I am pleased with the outcome! 

I know my family will LOVE them! I had so much "sauce" left over that I am going to fill strawberries with it! Yum! 

Bridesmaid dresses....will you wear it again?

Bridesmaids dresses. For every woman that has a good friend getting married, we ALL say "I will wear what you want me to wear"...but deep down, we are thinking "PLEASE DON'T LET IT HAVE PUFFY SLEEVES". I have been honored in being in 7 weddings. Yes, that means 7 different dresses. Only 2 I have worn again...the rest are in my closet, waiting to be turned into a pillow case or something.

When I was getting married, I knew we were getting married on the beach so my girls' dresses could be pretty simple. I will say, I had some of the prettiest bridesmaids and they all had a somewhat petite build. HOWEVER, they ALL had different personalities. I could have put them all in the same dress and have them all look stunning. But, I wanted something different...I wanted THEM to choose. So guess what??? If they had an issue with the dress, it was THEIR FAULT. Not mine. HEHEHE

I went with Davids Bridal since my girls were all over the country and it was easy ordering. I chose the color and the material. Told them I would prefer it be a shorter dress since it was on the wedding, and they could choose their style/cut of dress.

The turn out was beautiful. I STILL get compliments on my Bridesmaids and wouldn't change a thing about it. I just wanted to share this small tid bit for those getting married in the future. It's not so dramatic that it draws attention away from the important person..THE BRIDE..DUUHHH...but, it adds extra personality to the day.

Insert foot into mouth

There are several things people say that they shouldn't say...or so others think. I am one to insult others because I tend to speak my mind, and a little too much sometimes. The older I get, and the more OPEN MINDED I get, I have realized that some people talk out of nervous habit....they don't know what else to say...or they are just ignorant. I feel if I take offense, then it's MY issue, not theirs.

- Maybe I should read between the lines. -Maybe they are trying to help understand my feelings. 

- Maybe their mouth is moving faster than their brain.

- Maybe, just MAYBE not everyone can read my mind! 

Once I started realizing these things, I wasn't walking around picking a fight with others in my head. 

Touchy subjects for everyone. Things that people could potentially get offended by: 

- Suicide. This is a HUGE touchy subject for me. Recently, I lost one of the closest people to me to this. My heart is still broken and I am trying to wrap my head around it, still. Just about every single one of my friends asked "why" this person did it. It took everything I had to not curse them out. I threw my phone after reading all of those text messages..."omg Steph..why". But, now I look back and realize, they didn't know what to say. This might be better,"I am so sorry, how are you". But, they couldn't read my mind. Not their fault. 

-Religion. We all have our own views. If you get ANGRY about somebody else's views....just, well...get off your high horse 

-Politics. Pretty much the same as religion. Touchy and heated subject. You can't have a conversation about political views with a closed minded person. Simple as that. They will get offended. 

Having children. "Omg, why would you want three?","Wow, you have your hands   Full" , "eww, you might have to get a minivan", "you aren't consistent enough", "why is he not talking", "why is he throwing a tantrum", "don't vaccinate", "do vaccinate", "you need to spank his butt". That is just a small list of several statements from people. Most that come from those without toddlers, without children, grandparents that forgot how children act, and some that just need to keep their mouth shut. For the longest time, I got so upset and offended. Then, I realized..

- maybe I do need to do some things different

-maybe I need to look at the source.

- Maybe I am a good parent and I am being too hard on myself, due to what others are saying to me. 

Vaccinating vs not vaccinating. I have never looked at another parent and criticized them for not vaccinating their children. It was their decision...why make them feel shitty??? I will say, I know several parents that have made ME feel shitty FOR vaccinating my own children. Just realize we have our own views and opinions and You look like the uneducated one making others feel bad about trying to protect our children to their knowledge.

Infertility: this is one I have witnessed many friends get upset over. Unfortunately, I have more friends that can't get pregnant, can't carry, or even find a partner to try with...than I do that don't have issues. So, when I give advice, it's usually to let others know...hey you aren't alone. You aren't the only woman in the world that can't have a baby. It's trying to encourage you and keep you positive. But, MOST don't look at it that way. Most don't want to hear it from a woman that can look at her husbands boxers and get pregnant. I have learned over the years what I should and shouldn't say to an infertile friend. Most just want somebody to listen. And if you try to say something encouraging...some may or may not look at it as encouraging. Just depends on how open minded they are. For the most part, what I have been told...things not to say to an infertile couple: 

- "everything happens for a reason"

- "my friends sisters couldn't get pregnant for 6 months,I understand"

- "just adopt" 

Marriage Counseling. Holy shit balls. You tell somebody you are in marriage counseling, they automatically think you are getting a divorce. How about try to say "I am so glad you are trying to communicate better"....that sounds a lot better than "oh NO, I am so sorry". Lord people!!!!  

College. Hey, it's for some..not everyone.  Don't question somebody why they didn't go. I don't ask somebody "why are you going to college". 

Breast feeding. This is the Mothers choice. As long as she is feeding her baby, shut up. There is Breast Feeding and formula feeding....get the word...feeding!!!! This is a whole other Blog post....

Anxiety/depression. I wouldn't wish this on my own worst enemy. Once again, another Blog Post on its own

So, I am sure left so much out but this was just an idea! So, before you open your mouth...stop and think. I am trying to. But, also remember....take things with a grain of salt. Life is too short to walk around pissed off all the time. Frowns cause wrinkles too....gross. 

Strawberry ice cubes

I love flavored water!!! However, I don't like to buy it because I don't like the cost or..lets be honest...what is really in that water???? 

I cut up strawberries and placed a slice in an ice cube tray. Poured water over it. Froze it. Used the ice cubes in my water!!!! As the ice was melting, I got great strawberry flavor! All natural! I want to try it with lemons, cucumbers, blueberries, and raspberries! Yum yum 

Delivery of our Prince Parker

So, this is a continued post from my pregnancy with Parker, our second son.

On New Years Eve, I went to Triage for contractions 8-10 minutes apart. I had chosen to go natural, considering I had nerve damage from my epidural from my first delivery (yes, that sucked). Since I had chosen to go natural, the nurses decided to let me go home and come back when my contractions were about 5 minutes apart. PS, I was already dilated to a 4 1/2 and 90%effaced! So, as we were texting our friend that we were coming home, Parkers heart rate started dropping. When you see a medical professional have that "oh shit" look on their face, you tend to lose all the color in your own face! They contacted my doctor, that was actually already in the hospital, and told me I was being admitted right away. They weren't exactly sure why his heart rate was dropping, but it was obviously a concern.

I was scared to death. You always picture going in to the hospital, everything fine and dandy..get your epidural...and bam, there's your baby. However, luckily I knew better. I knew there was a reason my body told me to go to the hospital that afternoon. Thank God I listened!!! By the time I was hooked up to all the fun machines and such, they broke my water AND hooked me up to Pitocin. For those that have not read my other post about my first delivery will soon learn..I HATE.PITOCIN. IT'S THE DEVIL'S BLOOD. I knew right there, SHIT, this baby better come because contractions with Pitocin are a B I T C H and I don't want another epidural. They told me it would be 5-7 hours before I delivered, so Nathan went home to check on Grady. A few of my girlfriends actually came up to the hospital to sit with me while I was in labor. FUN WAY TO SPEND NEW YEARS!!!!

So, they broke my water and hooked me up to Pitocin by 7pm, so my contractions were coming on STRONG. I was sitting on a birthing ball (it does help the pressure, I promise) and fluids are leaking out everywhere. My friends were saying "you are doing great...you look fabulous.." It was pretty awesome, but I knew they were full of it. I yelled at the nurse a few times to lower my Pitocin because it got to the point where I wasn't able to take a break between contractions. She got yelled at by my doctor for actually lowering it for me HAHA Around 8 I told the girls to go get Nathan. The pressure was getting intense and I had no clue when Parker was going to make his presence.

Around 9 PM it was to the point that I couldn't talk, couldn't breathe, and wanted to take the baby out MYSELF. I SOMEHOW told Nathan I wanted an epidural. It was a hard call, because I was so scared of nerve damage again. I had talked myself and Nathan into a natural birth. But, I sucked up my pride and said SCREW IT. I was stuck at a 5 and was loosing strength to even breathe. I got my epi at 930 and I knew right away that it was inserted correctly. I was still able to move my toes and my legs!!!! So, this small story is a little TMI, but SO FUNNY. When you have an epi, you have to get a catheter. So, as she was inserting it...I started to pee....EVERYWHERE. It was coming out like the fountains at the Mirage in Vegas. I am not even joking. So..I peed on my nurse. Luckily, she was an old stoner and thought it was awesome...but, back to my labor/delivery. Nathan went to the vending machine to get a snack and I told the nurse I was feeling a lot of pressure. She decided to check me. Remind you, I was a 5 when I got my epidural. It was about 11pm and I was at a 10!!!! Nathan walked in, and was SHOCKED. We thought we would get some shut eye for a few hours. nope. We were told that the epi helped me relax, helping my uterus contract regularly and to dilate faster. win win.

We could hear women delivering all over the hallway. There was a total of 14 women delivering that night. Most wanted that tax break for having the baby before midnight. Well, once word got out that I was pushing at 11:30pm...EVERY.SINGLE.NURSE. was in our room screaming "PUUUSSSHHHH". We were all making jokes...and I was already so excited to have two babies born on drinking Holidays.

I will say, pushing Parker was a little more difficult. He was at a higher station when I started pushing, so it was a little bit of an exercise. I had scar tissue from my incision from Grady, so his big ole head was having some issues getting through it. So, she cut me. SNIP SNIP. Sounded like chopping a head of lettuce. no joke.

Sure enough...I had Parker Nolan at 12:01am. That kid was screaming while his butt was still in my vagina....I was like "oh boy...he will be a pleasant baby". All of the nurses were so excited to call the other hospitals. WE HAD THE 2012 TUCSON BABY!!!! We were SO EXCITED!!!!

I was able to move around after my epidural was removed...immediately. I got to enjoy so much more in the beginning with Parker. He was 8lbs 10oz...I kept calling him small. No, he wasn't small. He was just smaller than Grady HAHAHA

I honestly don't remember too much from that point on until about 8am in the morning. We were exhausted. I had to get ready for two news stations to arrive for filming. Of course, I did my hair and makeup...DUR!!!!!!

It was so much fun sharing our story, but the news did change it up a bit. Get a woman going on 3 hours of sleep, crazy hormones, and ask her about her husband possibly deploying. She will BAWL HER EYES OUT. I looked insane....my makeup looked good..but I looked insane.

Diaper Cake

This was my first Diaper Cake I have made. I have been given them for my babies...but never got to make one! This technique I used is easy for the person making it and the person receiving it. The diapers are wrinkled from rubber bands, and you can use more diapers for the cake itself! I wanted to keep it simple...less is more approach. And...I was on a budget!

Material:

I purchased Size 1 Pampers. I prefer Pampers for newborns and Size 1 is very very needed in the beginning!!!

ribbon and what you want to decorate with.

I ended up not using rubber bands or wipes (I just handed her the wipes with the rest of the diapers I didn't use)

 

I used a big serving platter to help keep the diapers UP and just kept forming them as they made a circle. It did take a little patience!!!! Once they are in place, it's pretty simple to tie the ribbon around it. My rubber bands weren't big enough for the diameter of the cake!

My second layer, I  used a cake pan because it was smaller than my serving platter.

 

 

 

 

I rolled the receiving blankets into flowers and placed them in the center...they fit PERFECT. I hot glued on those awesome HUGE flowers where the ribbon did meet and placed the hair clips throughout the cake on the ribbon.

 

 

 

All together, it took me about 25 minutes. I was impressed, considering it was my first diaper cake!!! Can't wait to make more!

Not every pregnancy is the same...

We decided to try to get pregnant when our first son was 9 months. The week he turned 1...VOILA..I AM PREGNANT!! We were traveling from Arizona to Florida, and conceived in Van Horn, Texas! I am sure most of you have never heard of this little ghost town haha Hey...they have a Historic Hotel with great food, and obviously some love making in the air (I call it vino)!! We obviously had NO clue and traveled to Florida... I was staying with my sister for a few weeks while Nathan traveled down to Tampa to get settled. One night, we were drinking and I said "something isn't right...I think I am pregnant". Sure enough..I WAS! We were so excited! I had to wait 3 days to tell Nathan!!! Aahhhhhh

Grady and I drove down to Tampa (7 hours), and I changed his shirt right before we met up with Nathan at the front gate of the base. He had never seen Grady officially walk...so Grady was stumbling over to him with a shirt on that said "Big Bro". At first, Nathan didn't notice...but once he did..TEARS.OF.JOY. It was AWESOME.

Immediately, I wasn't feeling well. Everything made me sick. I could have slept ALL DAY LONG. But, I couldn't...I had a one year old to take care of! Everyone was convinced "it's a girl". I had no clue. All I knew was that I was having severe ligament pains and severe Nausea. I was told by my doctor that we have muscle memory, so my body remembers everything and this pregnancy might be a little harder on me.

I was showing VERY fast. I was still carrying about 15lbs of extra weight, so my belly already looked like I was pregnant haha It drove me crazy when people would say "it's twins".

My first doc appointment was an eye opener. Only because when I delivered Grady, the doctors office was across from the beach. This Doctors office in Tampa was in the middle of the GHHEEETTOOO. I will NEVER forget the girl sitting across from me in the waiting room. Legs spread open (you could tell she really enjoyed that position, a little too much) with money signs and dollar bills GOING UP HER LEG into her WHO WHOO. Yea...it was at the moment I knew my little pink flower tat I have on the inside of my wrist was not offensive to others. Well, the doctor couldn't find the heart beat. We were heart broken. We couldn't get a sonogram for TWO DAYS. I had to wait TWO.DAYS. to know if our baby was okay, or if I was miscarrying. Well, our doctor was just an idiot and was known to not be able to find heartbeats. He was like 93 and I am sure his equipment was the same age.

When I was 17 weeks along, I had opened our freezer door and dropped something..I came up and my back hit the freezer door..causing it to FALL ON ME! YES. The dang FREEZER DOOR fell on me. I immediately started having contractions. Of course, my doctor was not concerned, but just told me to go to the ER to make sure everything was fine. Yes it was...but the landlord got CHEWED OUT.

A few weeks later, we found out we were having another BOY!!! I was fine with that...I mean..he's healthy and I saved all of my boy stuff!!! Hell yea!

BTW, I STILL felt like crap.

Grady and I flew back to Arizona when I was 27 weeks, and Nathan drove back with the dogs. (for those confused, we are Military and he had a short assignment in Tampa for 6 months)

I did a lot of research to find a new OBGYN. There was NO way I was going to just settle for anybody...especially what I went through with doctor in Tampa. I found a practice that had 3 doctors, and I fell in love immediately. The hospital they delivered at was about 7 minutes from my house, and I got to meet all three doctors that could potentially deliver my baby.

 

I started to dilate around 36 weeks. My doctor told me, you will deliver any day. This is your second baby, you are progressing very fast. But, I knew my body. My babies love my uterus..it doesn't matter if their hand is hanging out..they want to chill. Unfortunately, I couldn't rest as much as I wanted because I had a 20 month old at home, and stairs, and chores, and Holiday parties to throw/attend. Friends and family were making bets on when I would deliver. Most said Christmas. I mean, I was 80% effaced and 3cm dilated. Most women would have said "induce me and get this baby out of my uterus". However, I knew when that baby came...our lives would change forever. Yes, they would change for good...but I also knew how hectic it would get. Two under 2. Holy COW.

39 weeks New Years Eve

 

On New Years Eve, I went and had donuts/coffee with some girl friends. I had been having mild contractions, but nothing was regular. Then, my friend that is a massage therapist hit some trigger points in my hand....they the contractions were coming on stronger. I was just uncomfortable. Not in pain....but like severe Braxton Hicks. Then, I started feeling the sharp pains in my cervix and pressure. So, I knew..I was progressing further. I went home, took a shower and took a nap (just in case I went into labor). I got up, did a few laps around the neighborhood...but my contractions weren't very regular. They were definitely getting stronger, so we went to the hospital. I didn't want to be the lady delivering on the side of the road. I was at a 4 1/2 90% effaced. My contractions were every 8-10 minutes, but they told me I could go home since I wanted to go natural. I decided to go natural because I had nerve damage from my epidural with my first delivery. Well, THEN..as we were texting our friend that had Grady...alarms started going off. Parkers (that was the name we decided on) heart rate was dropping.

To be cont....

Nap time.

There are two things I look forward to each day; Naptime and bedtime. Don't get me wrong, I love when my husband walks in the door. I love playing with my children and hearing laughter. But hey...lets get real. You never know what kind of day you are going to have, especially as a stay at home parent. 

My first born took two..two hour naps a day until he was 2. So, during the morning nap I would clean. During his afternoon nap, I would nap (I was pregnant with his brother, so I needed that extra sleep. 

Once our second son was born, Grady was getting out of the two naps a day. So, I pretty much got it down to where they both would take an afternoon nap so I could get things done around the house. 

WELL....now that I am pregnant (again), I cherish the days that they both nap at the same time. This pregnancy is kicking my ASS (and taking names) so I say..."screw housework..I am napping". I have been SO desperate for some shut eye, that I have actually driven around for 30 minutes until they fall asleep. Once they are out..we go home and I throw their cute butts in bed. I have bribed (yes,bribed) my 3 year old with snow cones, lollipops, trips to the zoo, and new monster trucks if he would lay down with me. 

I am sure this is outrageous and "not good parenting" to some. Get off your high horse....and look at the big picture. Sleep is very important. Lack of sleep is horrible for anyone, especially an expecting Mother.  

Now...bedtime!!! Bedtime gives me anxiety. I won't lie. Once your children are able to get out of bed, they will come up with every excuse in the book to get out of bed. It doesn't matter if they have an awesome Car Bed with glow in the dark friggin sheets. At first, it took us an hour to two hours a night to get our 3 year old in bed. We did everything Super Nanny told us to (on tv). Now, it's gotten a little better, but now he is able to communicate with words and EXCUSES!!! "My toe hurts, I am sick, I have to poo poo, pee pee, there is a bad guy, monster truck, baby awake (when I want to scream "you woke him up!!!!", and every night....I am hungry". And you KNOW right when he falls asleep, a car horn or barking dog will wake up your infant. Rude.

Every parent looks forward to bedtime because that's when they can wind down, catch up on tv shows, clean up the house, talk to another adult without interruption, or have some wild monkey dancing under the sheets. Whatever...haha 

In our home, we don't get to relax until about 830 and by then...I am ready for sleep myself!

So....I have another 4 years (atleast) without good sleep, and having a conversation with my husband. Hey, we chose this life and giggle everytime we look back and remember saying "one and done" 

Home made Playdough

I remember making Playdough at VBS, in kindergarten, and with my Mom. Now that I have toddlers, I started making our own. I am not a fan of the smell of the store bought...especially pregnant!

I have only tried two homemade recipes.

Oatmeal Playdough and Rubbery Playdough

We like the Oatmeal recipe because its a no bake and has tons of texture!!! Here's the recipe:
1 cup of flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup water

And we always had food coloring! I highly recommend adding the food coloring to the water. I actually add more flour so it's not so sticky.


NOW, I tried the Rubbery Playdough recipe today and actually took pictures of the process. This is one that has to he cooked, but doesn't take long at all!!!

2 cups baking soda
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup cornstarch
(And food coloring...duh!)



I preferred this recipe over the oatmeal due to the texture and smell. It took a little longer, but much better! It does get a little sticky on your fingers, but so does store bought Playdough.


Place in saucepan and mix with fork until smooth.

Add the food coloring!

Boil over medium until thick....mixing in between so it doesn't stick to pan (about 8 minutes)

Spoon onto wax paper, plate, cutting board...whatever you want!

Let it cool before you knead it a few times. It's hot,baby!!!!

My three year old, Grady is loving it!!!

Sneaky smoothie for a toddler

My 3 year old does not eat veggies. I usually have to hide them in calzones or muffins. So, I started reading about smoothies. I have never been a smoothie fan...at all. However, I know Grady loved anything that is sweet and looks like a slushy.

This is the first time I have made a smoothie with so many ingredients. The only reason I used so many is because well...I needed to get rid of some things in my fridge!!!!

I used:
Strawberries
Kale (two leaves, minus the stems)
banana
handful of blueberries
about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
strawberry yogurt (My 3 year old isn't a fan of milk, and needs some more calcium! I also thought this would help with the sweetness)
6 icecubes
and a splash of applejuice. I didn't want the smoothie to be too runny.
The consistency was perfect for a toddler because it was thick...but still runny enough to drink from a straw without getting clogged up.

This is NOT a good looking smoothi. It almost looks like a funfetti smoothie. hahaha

 

Grady, was so excited to try it! He helped me put the fruits/veggies in so I think that made him more interested. He finished his entire cup. I am still working on mine. I won't add lemon juice next time! But hey, next time I will add more veggies to sneak in his precious daily meal!!!!