My Day Friday

So it's Friday and I'm joining the party again! Time to post a pic of ME. This is the picture that came to mind this week:

This was taken almost exactly two years ago. March 1st, 2009. A rare snow day in Columbus! At the time me and Matt had only been married about 8 months. We lived in a 1 bedroom apartment not too far from where we live now and both had the day off...so we spent it out in the apartment complex parking lot...playing in the snow!

Here are 2 bonus pics taken the same day as the pic above...

My sweet Lucy...she wasn't a huge fan of the snow!

And my husband attempting to start a snowball fight with me

I can't even tell you how glad I am that I think this kind of weather is nowhere on the horizon for us right now...and boy am I glad!

Have a great weekend everybody! And if you want to link up to my friend Kathlyn's My Day Friday post you can visit her blog here. 

~Amy~

Wordless Wednesday

Just a few pics from the past week...

Enjoying the "jump jump" (even though it IS a bit of sensory overload!)

This is the face I make when I "talk" to Mama

Early morning milk stupor =)

Happy Wednesday ya'll!

~Amy~

Un-fun

There are alot of fun things about having kids...sleep training is NOT one of them!

However, It was time. The rocking was WAY out of control. Hours a day in that chair and then he'd fight me like a bear when we did rock. Then I'd lay him down and he'd be asleep for 45, 20...sometimes just 5 minutes. NOT good for anyone! 

Yes, it's rough. I lay him down and then question myself - Is he tired enough? He's only been awake for an hour and 20 minutes (even though yes- he was yawning, fussing and generally unhappy). How long is too long to cry? Maybe he's hungry? When Matt gets home I ask him all of these things and he says- "I don't know...I trust your judgement". WHAT!? Well thanks, but I don't even trust MY judgment or I wouldn't be asking YOU. 

Why do we constantly question ourselves as mothers? How badly do we think we're going to mess our children up? I've seen some REALLY terrible people turn out some wonderful kids...how bad can I really do?

I have realized something thru this process though. I'm NOT the only one. I've reached out to my friends and family that are mothers for support during this and have felt SO very encouraged. Sure, I can sit in my house and wonder if I'm the only one to go thru this...OR I can ask for advice, prayers, encouragement. Stay strong and consistent and it will get better is what I'm told...and THAT is what I'm holding to!

So...I'll leave you with a picture of what I'm currently seeing alot of...

Well that and him tossing, turning, flailing his arms and crying...but who wants to see a picture of that?

Please keep us in your prayers! He really isn't doing too terribly so far =) For now I'm going to attempt to JUST rock him after his bath and last feeding before bed. If that is slowing our progress (or confusing him why I will rock him then, but not at naps), then we'll stop the rocking all-together but I really hate to!

Thanks for your support/prayers/advice everyone!

~Amy

Forgotten Cookies...Remembered

We all have things that instantly take us back to our childhood. Certain songs, t.v. shows, even recipes. Forgotten cookies definitely take me back! First of all they're delicious. They're simple meringue cookies with chocolate chips...but when I was little the taste was the second best thing about them. My favorite thing about them was that we always made them before bed and woke up to cookies! Because they are meringues, you basically turn your oven on to preheat, put them in and turn the oven off and forget about them for at least 6 hours (good luck with that, i've never forgotten about cookies in the oven!). 

So in an effort to get really good at making these before Elliot gets big enough to remember them...I set out to make them this morning. I planned on making them last night...but quickly decided that running the mixer on high right after putting the baby in bed could be a bad idea. I didn't have the recipe my Mama uses...so I googled it and found this one. The only thing I did differently was that I didn't put peanuts in mine. We never did when I was little...so I omitted them and just did another cup or so, (I eyeballed it) of chocolate chips. I'm not going to detail the instructions since I linked to the recipe...BUT here are a few pics...

Here are the ingredients...and my beautiful mixer

Elliot wanted to "help"...which i guess meant- hang out in his Moby wrap...asleep =)

On the cookie sheet and ready to hang out in the oven for 6 hours

The finished product

I must say- they were all I remembered them to be. Basically chocolate chips encased in a crunchy/chewy cloud. Try them, you'll love them! 

What are some recipes that "take you back"? I'd love to try them out! Happy Saturday Ya'll!

~Amy~

Joining the Party =)

My friend Kathlyn (who has a fabulous blog) is having a link up party...and I wanted to take part! She is SO right, bloggers (if I can even call myself one) tend to hide behind pics of what they do or make, their kids, pets or husbands...but RARELY post pictures of themselves. I'm guilty too...so here goes!

This was taken about a year and a half ago (July 2009 I think). Me and Matt went to Pensacola Beach to celebrate our first anniversary. Why did I pick this picture? I'm LONGING for the beach! Anyone else? Pensacola Beach is one of my favorite places on the planet and how I wish I were there right now...

Ok, ok. I'm back to reality now =)

Fabulous idea Kathlyn! I can't wait to see all the beautiful faces of the bloggers who join the party!

P.S.- I'm making Forgotten Cookies this morning and will write a post about them later (if Elliots lets me!). Have a great Friday everyone =)

~Amy~

Rock On

Decisions. We make them all day long...always have. However, I've NEVER made so many decisions, on a minute by minute basis as I have since becoming a mom. How much should I feed him? Is he full? Is he warm enough? Is he too warm? Should I put him down for a nap? Am I letting him sleep too much? Why is he crying?

SERIOUSLY! All day long I'm asking myself these questions...the problem is there's no one to answer me! It's all up to me and that's scary sometimes. I frequently ask for opinions. I ask my mom, sister, grandmothers, friends...and they give me advice...sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn't. All kids are different, i realize that...but wow, anxiety much?

The biggest issue I've had recently is Elliot's sleep issues. He does okay at night...usually waking up just once and then again pretty early around 5 or 6...but naps are a doozie. Since he's still so young we haven't yet instituted specific nap times. He wakes up and eats, is awake and "plays" for about 45- and hour and then he gets cranky and needs to sleep. This cycle happens over and over. When nap time comes he's a bear. Fights you tooth and nail not to go to sleep. I bounce and rock til he's out (and at over 13 lbs my back is beginning to hate me for that) and then finally lay him in his bed. He usually STAYS asleep for 30-45 minutes and then I hear him crying and THIS is the decision I've been struggling with the most lately: let him cry? or go get him and rock him back to sleep? My pediatrician says to let him cry...and I don't want to, but will once we're down to 2 naps a day. But 4 or 5? That's WAY too much crying for me to handle. I'm trying my best to keep him awake long as I can between naps right now...but if it's not time to eat and you aren't happy with me holding you, playing on your floor mat, or in your swing...and you're just going to fuss, it's time to go to sleep, right? Right now rocking him back to sleep is winning out, folks...but there's gotta be a better way! I spend most of my day in that rocking chair! HELP. ME.

Other than our sleep issues, he's a doll. Cute as can be, smiles at me, precious, wonderful and healthy...so for THOSE things I am extremely thankful!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful week...this rainy, cold weather is making me long for spring SO badly!

And now I must go...I hear my boy waking and I think the rocking chair is my next stop...

~Amy~

P.S. Couldn't finish a post without sharing a picture...

Oh how I love these boys!