A Little Taste of Amy

My good friend Mishel bought this plate when I was pregnant with Amy and asked me if she could take pictures of my baby on this plate, when I had her.

So about a week after she was born, Mishel came over and we took these pictures of Amy in my dining room.

The best part was that Amy was so big when she was born, that she didn't fit on the plate and there was no way we were gonna get her to go into fetal position. She was so glad to be out and to be able to move and stretch that there was no way you were gonna make her go back. It also made it challenging to get the kind of pictures we were going for (it's hard to get new born pictures when your newborn is the size of a 3 month old). You can tell this by looking at some of the pictures, especially the last one. Enjoy.

Gotta Love....

First Pigtails

Hahahhahahaha

My Not-So-Secret Love Affair

Remember this kitchen???

That turned into this kitchen??

Well, it is now this kitchen.

We've ripped down the dropped ceiling, ripped down cupboards, painted walls and cabinets, and got new hardware and countertops. The only things that are left is patch the wall on the left, patch the roof and get new lights (the fluorescent lights are making the cabinets look a yellowy color, they are actually are really nice cream. They look way better during the day. I can't wait to rip out those lights) and new floor oh and backsplash. Eventually, I am aiming for black appliances. Which brings me to the point of this blog. My beautiful new addition to the kitchen that cost me more than I would have liked. But now that I am over it, I can let myself love it.

My beautiful black sink.

I know, I know.

I've heard everything about black sinks so you don't need to tell me.

I researched the best kinds, read reviews and did a lot of looking before we bought.

I love it.

I love my green wall too.

I'm glad I took the plunge and went with the color I really wanted

even though it is a darker one.

I'm painting more

which means more blogs in the future.

I just can't wait for the flooring to be done.

That means we will be finished

and it will be beautiful.

I don't know exactly what we are putting down, we have an idea

but what I want looks really good in my head.

Right now though I think we are gonna take a break

until I can get to Lethbridge and buy more paint.

It's addictive I tell ya.

I Got Nothin'

I haven't blogged in forever.

I have nothing to write about.

I've been wanting to blog about my kitchen forever but there are a few minor things that need to be finished and I want to wait for them to be done. If you don't remember, you can go here.

Soon, it will be done and it will be fabulous!!

Things that have happened are Christmas, which I didn't take any pictures of. Weird. It was low key and I loved it. We went to Jana's for Christmas Eve, missed Marin, (maybe she will be there this year???) and had a good time.

New Year's a few friends came over, we ordered pizza and played games.

Then my birthday which was really fun. James took it off so that he would have an extra long weekend and he took me to Kalispell to Lowe's to buy a new kitchen sink and faucet (which I love and may have to cut a lot out to make it fit but oh well). My MIL watched Jared and Mady and we took the 2 youngest. It really was the best birthday I've had since we have been married. I turned 27 which I used to think was old. Remember this blog? We got a babysitter and went out for dinner with some friends on Friday. Then went back to their house and played games and stayed up late. It was really relax but so fun. It was a good birthday.

Now that all the holidays are over and my birthday, I've started trying to lose a little weight. Not really hard core, just eating healthier, switched to whole wheat instead of white, less treats, smaller portions and nothing 2 hours before bed and at least 30 min workout each night. I've lost 4lbs in a week (and yes Jana, I'm bragging, ok?) and I'm really proud of myself since I really really really hate working out. I'm not looking to be super tiny or totally toned or all that stuff, I just want to make my tummy a little smaller. 10lbs babies, don't make your tummy look very good. I added all the weights of my babies and

4 kids = 36 lbs 7 oz.

That is an average of 9 lbs 2 oz a baby.

So yeah, tummy, not looking so hot.

I have a goal of 20lbs by our anniversary which is March 19th, so we will see.

Oh yeah, we also had an appointment for Lorelle before Christmas. (if you don't remember, go here.) The swelling in her cheek was a bunch of little cysts instead of one which is what they wanted. It can continue to happen but now we know what to do. We've begun talk about getting surgery done this year. It's really up to James and I when we want to get it done. It's a long process so we have talked about getting it started before summer and having the surgery after summer, maybe later. We go back up in a few months and meet with all the doctors who have seen her and we discuss everything and anything about the surgery, recovery, risks and all that stuff. So that's the update on that.

That's it for now. For someone who said I had nothing to blog about, this is quite the blog. Mostly blog barf but, whatever. I'll leave you with these pictures of the cutest baby ever. The last picture is the best!

Enjoy!

Birthday Girl

Lorelle turned 2 on the 19th.

We just had a little party for her with spaghetti

and cupcakes.

I was gonna make her a Dora cake and even try doing fondant

but I ran out of time.

It's crazy that she is 2 already.

The cupcakes I made......

that she obviously enjoyed so much.

Then she got over it.

Hello Winter

We've been to the doctor 5 times in the last 11 days

for 3 out of our 4 children.

I have to go again on Friday.

Ummm...doctors,

we are done with you.

Please don't take it personal.

Thank you.

Confessions of a Saddened Mom

On Friday, I noticed Lorelle's cheek looked a little bigger. I didn't think much of it since her cheek grows as she grows so I thought it was doing just that. Well by the end of the day, it had doubled in size and was now hard and bruising. I thought maybe it was infected but she showed no signs that it was. Yesterday morning I called the Children's Hospital and told them what was going on. They called me back and told me we had an appointment first thing in the morning. So off to Calgary we went.

Her cysts filled up with fluid and blood (that is why they are hard and look bruised). She has to have an ultrasound to determine if it one big one or lots of smaller ones. After we know, we can discuss our options with it, since there are different options for either outcome. I have to go back up next week so they can monitor it, then back for the ultrasound, then back up for options and monitoring, then back up for the action of which option chosen, then back up for follow ups etc etc etc.......

So this is where I confess. Confess that I am scared, that I cry (when she was first born, it was almost daily), that I wish I could just take it away and it never happened. I'm scared every time I take her to the hospital and I cry every time. I hate watching her go through it all. I hate thinking about her when she is older and people teasing her or her having low self esteem because of it. Then I feel guilty. I should be grateful. Grateful that she is healthy, grateful that she is here and grateful that they are able to help her.

I thank the Lord every day for her. She is such a special little girl. I have been saying it since she was born. There has always been something in her eyes, that even when she was really little, when she would look at me, it was like she was staring into my soul. She would smile and at the instant, I knew that she knew exactly who I was, where she was and what was going on. I can't really explain it but I know I am not the only one who has seen it.

I act strong on the outside but I feel like a mess on the inside. It too will pass and then it will just be what it is and you deal and move on. The Lord knew that she could handle it and that I was the mom she needed. It does make me sad and breaks me heart especially when she is screaming as they are trying to help her and I can't do anything about it and she doesn't understand. Maybe her cheek growing was a blessing in disguise and they will be able to remove them without damaging any nerves. Who knows. All I know is what I feel and that the Lord knows how I feel, that He hears me and answers me and right now that is all I need.