Blabberings of Motherhood

I am sure we have all heard the saying from Forrest Gump "life is like a box of Chocolate, you never know what you are going to get". I do agree you never know what you are going to get in life, but isn't life about what you make of it?
Recently my husband and I have found out that we are pregnant, and are due in the middle of July. Which means Kristen is not always a happy camper, she is usually exhausted and you better not try to take food from her otherwise she will stab you in the hand with a fork! With that being said, my poor brain has become quite scattered and sometimes formulating a thought into verbal communication is like speaking Chinese to an American who only speaks English. I have liken myself to Porky the Pig when trying to talk, I understand this is called Mommy Brain and it will/can last up to a year after the baby is born. My only complaint about that is it wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't an intelligent person who has been turned into a blabbering idiot. My dear husband has found this to be rather amusing and loves to point out mistakes I have made while talking, which we all know isn't fair to me since I honestly can't remember what I said let alone how I said it. I can barely recall what I ate for breakfast that day.
So along with not being able to speak a coherent sentence, I am also having incredibly strange dreams. So strange and weird that I never get past REM sleep and go into my pre pregnancy deep sleep at all, so I wake up almost as exhausted as when I went to bed. I have tried taking 20 minute naps, no go right into the REM I go and thats it. Of course is all hormonal and all I can ask and pray for is it to calm down so I can get some rest throughout the night. Katherine always wants to hear about my strange and weird dreams, so I sugar coat them for her and tell her what is appropriate for a 5 year old to hear. Her usual response is putting her hands on my cheeks and telling me it will be ok and that she loves me, which is very sweet even though her hands are usually dirty. LOL

Pro-Life Thoughts for the day

There has been a lot of bad press about the Harrison County Dog Pound, because of the facilities in which the dogs live in temporarily. I understand that many people want to help animals since they are unable to help themselves and what not. But has any one considered that dogs have hair for a reason? God gave them hair/fur that grows into a winter coat which usually starts growing in October.

But for those who are protesting the dog pound...Would you have protested if that was an Abortion Clinic? Where woman are "allowed" to MURDER another Human because she isn't happy about having a child and it is her body so she can do what ever the hell she wants. Unborn children are unable to help themselves just like animals, so why are those who try to save animals, plants, buildings, environmental issues be OK with abortion? Sounds like an oxymoron to me. Humans are more precious than anything else in the world.
Not a day goes by do I wish my nephew was with our family and that the past year was only a bad dream, yet people are unwilling to become parents because the time isn't right or your family is going to kill you or whatever your lame and pathetic reason is.

It may be your body but that baby is not your body!

The Christmas Time Tragedies

Why is it always around Christmas that tragedy strikes us? For example exactly one year ago my one month old nephew James passed away, my Sister and her family were up for another funeral. My BIL Mike's cousin Richie committed suicide 3 days before, Richie was also one of my friends. So two blows in one week, lets just say Christmas was tough last year. I can honestly say I have never cried so much in life before, I cried probably at least once a day for the first month and a half after James passed away.

Another thing I have noticed is that every year around the holidays, people hurt their family members (mostly children) and I do not understand why. Right now there are 3 young boys missing in Michigan, their father did something to them but no one knows what. I think he killed them, just like every other creep out there who can't handle the fact that his or her ex-spouse wants nothing to do with them therefor the children shouldn't have to "go through" that kind of pain. What selfish jerks!!!  There are to many insane individuals in the world, I just don't understand why they have to hurt others. Why don't they just off themselves and leave the rest of their family members alone, but no they want their 15 minutes of fame good or bad.

I do realize I am not being very Christian like or charitable, but I am tired of seeing young children murdered because one of their parents are unhappy with the other parent and wants to hurt them.

The end of school..for now

As many of my friends and family know, I have been in college since the Fall of 2005. Basically nonstop for the last 5 years, I think I have only taken one summer off of school and that was in the first year. My poor daughter only knows that Momma goes to school and has school work to do. Well I only have one final to take as soon as the instructor posts it and I will be DONE with my bachelors degree in Organizational Leadership. The questions now is, what am I to do with all of this free time? I can't get a job since I am currently pregnant and really don't want to work again for a while. So what am I to do? I need to find something otherwise I will end up watching a lot of TV or reading a ton of books, thankfully Christmas is upon us and one of my sisters who lives out of town will be coming home for Christmas here in the next week. So that will take up the month of December, but what am I to do until spring arrives and I can go play in my garden? I guess I better bring out the sewing machine and starts sewing a few projects, or perhaps I can finally find the time to get my vintage clothing store online?
I am excited for this new chapter of my life to finally begin after 5 long years have gone by.

A day to remember

Tomorrow is Katherine's 5th birthday, having her in my life has been an experience and blessing. She is naturally curious to what is going on around her, and her temper gives mine a run for its money. We both share the same temperament, looks, opinions (we like to share our opinions with others rather than keeping them to ourselves) not to mention we are a feisty pair. My poor husband comes home to the two of us fights someday that would rival WWII, thankfully he can neutralize the two of us so there is not a full out war on his hands.
As much as we fight and argue I wouldn't trade her in for any other child in the world, she is delightful, funny, has sense of fashion that is just her own, and smarter than a child should be.
So Happy Birthday my Baby Cakes.

To the Authors

I am a vivid reader, I read everything from the classics to modern authors. I usually devour a book in less than a 24 hour period, which is fast and has slightly becoming annoying for me. I am running out of books to read, I have reread books and I have started listening to them on CD in my car for whenever I am driving anywhere.
Right now my favorite author is Janet Evanovich, I love her Stephanie Plum novels. She is up to novel 16, it was released earlier this year. I find her writing to be witty, fast paced and you never know what you are going to get like a hobbit swat team. Read Sizzling Sixteen for more details on the hobbit swat team. Her writing may be simple and is an easy ready, but personally I like that when I pick up a book to read..I hate having to analyzing a book, it drives me completely batty. After reading textbooks all day I want something that will help sooth my brain not cause it more suffering than I can, not to mention lose myself in the story so I am transported away from my life for a little while. One day when I am finished with college, I will start reading books with substance as my Mom says. But hey she was the one who introduced me to Janet Evanovich's books in the first place.
Earlier this year a friend and I went to a book signing for Janet Evanovich, we stood in-line for 5 hours just to get her autograph in her newest book Wicked Appetite (its not dirty I swear, its about the 7 deadly sins). I am a proud owner of a signed copy of that book.
Some people like spend lots of money to meet bands, I rather meet an author any day of the week because there work will last longer than music ever will.

The Caffeine Free Life

Three days ago I gave up caffeine in my favorite form...Mountain Dew. I was and still am a huge Mountain Dew fan, I would drink that instead of water which we all know is much better for you. However I do not crave nor like the taste of water, I rarely drink it in its natural form unless there is nothing else to drink.
Giving up caffeine is one of the hardest things I can honestly say I have done, it wasn't hard to do when I was pregnant with my daughter but then I had to give it up and after several months it tasted disgusting to me. But after she was born I was right back at it, I guess this is how women who smoke before and after their pregnancies feel like.

 So as of today I am 3 days caffeine free, and I am not sure how people live like this. By 4pm every day I am exhausted and just want to nap, I go into a store and have to stop myself from reaching for the cooler with Mountain Dew in it. Instead I reach for a caffeine free root beer, the Mug and A&W brands are caffeine free however Barq is not. It gives me the satisfaction of a carbonated drink (which is the other half of what I crave) without the caffeine effects. Although I found an icy cold Mt Dew in my fridge earlier and the desire to open it and drink it was so consuming I had to shut the door and do something other than think about..thus writing this blog today.

So instead of drinking the required amount of water in its natural form, I have taken up drinking kool aid like a little kid again. I honestly can not stand the taste of our tap water in my home, it is retched. Yes I do realize the harmful effects of drinking all that sugar, but hello its not as bad as Mt. Dew. So half a gallon of kool aid a day = 8 eight ounce glasses of water a day.

Thankfulness from a child

I asked Katherine today what she is thankful for, after a brief moment of thinking I was given a small list.

1. That she could play with two of her cousins this evening.
2. That her Grandma came home from vacation last night and she got to spend time with her today.
3. Thankful for her family
4. Thankful that Mommy made a good dinner.

These may be small things to be thankful for in-comparison to what you "think" you should be thankful for, however I believe you should thank God for even the small things in life. For the beautiful day he provided even if it rained buckets or snowed ten feet, for the laughter that is echoing through the house as your child/ren play.
We must always be thankful for what we do have, and not complain about what we don't have.

Breastfeeding in Public

I am taking a nutrition class as an elective to finish up my bachelor's degree, and this weeks topic is all about pregnancy, breastfeeding and nutrition. Our instructor is letting us debate the issue of breastfeeding in public, personally I am all for breastfeeding. I breastfed my own daughter until she was 21 months old, I went to school, worked and gave her up for weekend visitations with my ex-husband. So I can do all of that with an A cup, anyone can breastfeed.
Well during our debate, which I am so far winning because I am educated on the subject. One young female who is childless, said that if you are not going to use a blanket to cover yourself you should breastfeed in the bathroom. (YUCK!) My reply to that stupid comment was asking her if she eats her food in a public bathroom? So why should a baby where it is unsanitary and just plain nasty. I honestly do not understand people, breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world. I do use a cover because it is between me and my baby, but I applaud those who nurse and I support them wholeheartedly.
below are a list of reasons why you should breastfeed your baby in no particular order:
1. It is FREE!!!!!
2. No getting up to fix a warm bottle
3.  The nutrition value in breast milk is wonderful for your babies development
4. Breastfed babies do not get sick as often
5. What ever you eat and drink, changes the flavor of your breast milk so the baby isn't eating the same thing all the time
6. You bond with your baby while you nurse
7. Did I mention that it is free?
8. You don't have to worry about your baby's teeth rotting from the sugar that is in formula
9. Most formulas are soy based,  It is estimated that an infant exclusively fed soy formula  receives the estrogen equivalent (based on body weight) of at least 5 birth control pills per day.  (http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/soy.htm)
There are many more reasons to breastfeed, however I am short for time.

When a door shuts, a window opens somewhere

Change can happen in an instant in your life that you can barely take it in let alone understand why it has happened to you and your family. Yet in God's infinite wisdom we know that he would never let us go through anything by ourselves, He carries us when we need him the most. And I know that He has carried me a majority of the past year.

My family has grown in our walk with the Lord through our sorrow and strife we have had in the past year, and with out his love and compassion, our lives would have been torn apart in many different ways.

The pain of losing a loved one slowly dulls, but the ache is always with us until our time to join them in heaven comes. But until that day arrives I will spend it praising God and keeping those we have lost close to my heart knowing that we will meet again.

Teaching the child

The search is on…..to find the perfect school curriculum to teach my daughter how to read, this is a much harder to find than I had anticipated. After an initial visit to the local library I was very disappointed in their selection that was on hand, after much searching through their interlibrary database for the last several weeks. I still haven’t found anything that meets my criteria to teach my daughter, I have however found one CD that comes close to what I am looking for.

Has anyone found a program that teaches the basic phonics you need to learn to read? That is what I am looking for and it is hard to find, the interlibrary loans should finish coming in to my local library in the next week.

Katherine is so interested in learning to read, I want to capture this time with her and give in to her enthusiasm for learning and teach her everything I can now, before learning turns into a chore.

So the challenge has been issued, it’s time to meet and conquer the challenge.

The pumpkin patch

A field trip should be fun and amazing for children all at the same time, honestly I think it should fun and interesting for the adults who chaperon such field trips. Today my daughters preschool took a field trip to Hozaks Farms over in Pennsylvania, for their pumpkin patch. When someone or thing states that there is a pumpkin patch I automatically think a true field where you go and pick your pumpkin. NOT a bunch of pumpkins thrown in a field, which in my opinion is cheating those who pay to come to your farm and pick a pumpkin.
I do understand that it is for preschoolers and kindergartners, however there is much to learn about pumpkins. For instance how many different ways a pumpkin could be used, that would have been a great thing to teach these young minds. It is irritating as a parent when you try to teach your child something there are many naysayers who think you should just let them go play and have fun. Don't get me wrong playing is an important part of growing up and using their imagination is completely wonderful, with that is learning about what you are playing with is equally important too.
As much as I was disappointed with Hozak's farm, Katherine enjoyed spending time with her friends and being the crazy woman she is.

The Sights and Sounds of Autumn

Crafts are not something that is easy for me to do, I can paint a wall like there is no tomorrow and I can color a beautiful picture in a coloring book. However doing the most basic of crafts is painfully hard to do, unlike my sisters I didn’t receive the “artsy” or “craft” gene as I like to say. So the other day Katherine and I started on our journey of pressing leaves in wax paper, which of course is a very basic craft. 

We put on our shoes and jackets and marched into the woods with a basket in hand to find the most perfect of leaves to keep forever, finding the most perfect leaves is fairly difficult to find if you don’t have a keen eye. The crunch of the leaves echoed our footsteps while Henry the squirrel chattered at us, he was telling us (I believe) that we were invading his privacy and his territory of nuts. We have nut trees everywhere, so Henry eats very well during the winter.

After an hour of looking and finding the perfect leaves and a few nuts along the way, it was time to start our craft. Before our endeavor I had already gotten the wax paper, 2 rags, the iron and the ironing board all ready to go so we could finish our project in one felled swoop.

The results are pretty awesome if I do say so myself, so a person with ZERO crafty ability can do a basic preschool craft with her four year old.