Celebrating Independence

We celebrated the 4th of July in Austin with family. Popsicles, the pool, and the park entertained the little ones on Saturday and then we headed out to watch the fireworks show that night. We made two, and yes I said two trips to Dairy Queen for blizzards over the course of the weekend but they were so yummy that it was totally worth the couple of extra pounds I gained!

We have only braved the three hour drive from Dallas to Austin twice now with a newborn and both times she has surprised us by sleeping the whole way there. And as long as Jonah has his iTouch handy he is good for the entire trip. I have to say that the iTouch was the best gift idea Santa has ever had! We installed all of Jonah's DVD's on it as well as several games from Apple so he is perfectly content watching movies and playing games.

It was a great time and we were sad to see the holiday weekend end!





Meredith was really excited about the fireworks show, can you tell?!?! Heh!

She's already 3 months old? How is that possible?

Meredith is 3 months old today. Can you believe it?? I can't either. The sleepless nights must have blurred my memory because it seems like she was just born yesterday but according to the calendar I had our little ladybug exactly three months ago.

She seems to have made it through her fussy phase which is good. One night Josh asked me "Will you read me the newborn return policy on the receipt from the hospital?"

Meredith is now back home with me since I was a casualty of "spending cutbacks" at my company on June 18th. Even though she was only in school for two weeks, her teachers were able to put her on a eating and sleeping schedule that has made my life so much easier!

She smiles, laughs and coos all the time now and when one of us walks into the room and makes eye contact with her, she waves her arms and legs in excitement. She loves to be the center of attention and wants to be held all the time.

She is finally sleeping through the night! Can I get a "Whoo hoo?" Mornings are still my favorite time with my children. I lay in bed every morning and cuddle with Jonah and Meredith. I am thankful that I now have the opportunity to spend this quality time with them. These are the moments that I'll cherish forever.

Meredith has transitioned from being a "newborn" to being a "baby." It will be an exciting month as we continue to watch her grow and develop!

Zootopia

For Father's Day Josh wanted to take a trip to the zoo so we packed up and headed to the zoo for the day. It was HOT but the Dallas Zoo does a great job of providing shade and water misters as well as plenty of air conditioned spaces. We also invested in a little misting fan for Meredith since she was asleep in the stroller the whole time in the 100 degree weather! Jonah really enjoyed seeing all the different types of animals! I was really impressed when he saw the Okapi and knew it's name (Thanks Noggin!) His favorite animal (and ours) was the Gorilla because you could get up close to them through the glass and they would make faces at you! I'm looking forward to going back again but maybe we'll wait until the fall when it's a little cooler outside!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

To My Husband on Father's Day

** I'm posting this letter a little late because I forgot to hit "publish post" on Sunday I wanted the wording to be perfect.

To My Husband on Father's Day

When we started dating and I fell in love with you many years ago, I knew I wanted you to someday be the father of my children. I saw in your heart that you were compassionate, caring and nurturing, all the qualities that to me make a wonderful father. I watched the way my nieces adored you and how other children would flock to you like bees to honey when you were around. I heard the stories about you helping to take care of the children in your Mom's daycare when you were younger. I watched you make a difference in several teenager's lives while working at Gary and volunteering as a "Big Brother" in college to underprivledged children. I've seen how you protect and care for your own younger brother and how much he looks up to you today. I watched the way you played with and cared for Riley as a puppy and now when you are home, he never leaves your side. I knew you would be a wonderful father.

Then, we had Jonah and the strong bond between father and son was born. That bond grew even stronger this year when I had to go on bedrest in the hospital. I see the way he looks at you and how he always wants to be with you. He loves you unconditionally and when I watch the two of you together playing outside or even cuddling on the couch it warms my heart. You are instilling in him the same fatherly and loving characteristics that you possess. That is evident in the way he is today with his baby sister and how he will be with his own children someday.

On the day Meredith was born I watched you hold your daughter for the first time and I watched in silence as another bond began to evolve. A bond that will grow stronger everyday as she gets older. She is happiest when she is in your arms. I know one day she will want to marry and have children with someone "just like her father".

You amaze me everyday with your ability to work so hard and then come home and work even harder to take care of our family. I am proud that you are my husband and even more proud that you are the father of my children. Thank you for all that you do for us!

I love you more than you will ever know.
-Monda

I'm blaming the sherbet......

Josh brought home a pint of this yummy sherbet a few weeks ago and now I'm hooked! I add a couple of scoops to a glass and then pour over Sprite Zero. It's the perfect refreshing summertime dessert! I have a glass almost every night! It clearly states on the container that it is "naturally low fat" so it can't be the reason that I haven't lost the last few pounds of pregnancy weight right??

Ghost Stories

Last night North Dallas was hit with some pretty nasty weather including 80 mph winds, funnel cloud sightings, rain, thunder and lightening that lit up the entire sky. Luckily all of us were at home but right as we were finishing dinner the electricity went out. So, we all made our way to the couch with flashlights and candles. We listened in darkness as the rain beat down on our roof and watched as it knocked over everything in our backyard. We enjoyed an evening without Noggin and we played flashlight chase, made wall puppets and told Ghost Stories.

Here is a small clip of Jonah's 15 minute Ghost Story. Since the electricity was out for several hours we heard the story several times. He had a couple of different versions that included Wolverine throwing the ghost out the window, Jonah saving Meredith from the ghost by locking her in the bathroom and Spiderman spinning the ghost in a web in the front yard.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Where have you been???

Due to a not-so-nice call from my mother about my lack of updates on the blog, I thought maybe I should put up a few pictures to prove that I have been very busy catching up on episodes of Tori and Dean Home Sweet Hollywood and the Real Housewives of New Jersey with taking care of a demanding newborn, catering to my toddler's every need and washing endless baskets of laundry and mounds of dishes in the sink. But even being so busy we have managed to have to a little fun around here....

Josh and I have officially been kicked out of our own bed



Jonah learning how to play on the slip n slide from Uncle Jerod and Lauren




When I pick them up from school Jonah always makes sure to get stickers for himself and Meredith from Ms. DeGuzman (check out her head and left hand) He's so thoughtful!



Jonah's been enjoying bubble baths in our tub using my Lavender Chamomile Dream Bubble Bath from Bath and Body Works! It's my favorite!



This is what happens when Daddy takes Jonah to get a haircut! No more curls! Boo hoo! The good thing is, it grows back really fast. I guess the shorter hair is better for the hot summer months here in Texas.



Enjoying a day at the park with Grandma





A visit with my Aunts and Uncles from Virginia



Jonah always says "I want to take a picture with my Merdi"



But not all of us have been busy...check out our lazy dog Riley!

First Day of School and First day back as a WAHM

Today was my first day back at work which means I walked downstairs in my PJ's and turned on a laptop and a Blackberry that have been collecting dust for the last six months. I love working from home!

Today was also Merdi's first day of school. She is going to the same private preschool that her big brother attends. All four of us went to school together this morning and Jonah walked his sister into the classroom that Josh and I walked him into what seems like three long years ago. In his own words Jonah told the same teachers that he had, "I'll be in Ms. Wagner's class down the hall but I'll ask her if I can leave in a little while and come check on her." Tears people...lots of tears!

After several reassuring hugs from Josh in the parking lot that she would be okay, I got back in my car and made my way to Starbucks to treat myself to a Venti Iced Chai. I wore my big oversized sunglasses so they couldn't tell that I was a Mom that had just dropped off her 2 month old daughter at school so she could be changed, fed, burped, and swayed softly to sleep by someone other than me. As a new mom you always tell yourself that no one can care for your baby like you can but the truth is both of the teachers there are wonderful and I know she is in excellent hands. Plus they won't be trying to burp her while trying to type a new status update on Facebook!

I came back home to a very quiet house, sat down and enjoyed the silence for a few minutes. Then the housekeeper showed up, Riley started barking and the silence was a gone. Josh called me several minutes later and said "I'm sorry you have such a good job." He is right. I'm very fortunate to have a nice income and be able to work from home especially in today's economy. I did stay home with Jonah for a while when he was younger so I've had the experience of being both a working mom and a stay-at-home mom and I can say there are pros and cons of each. Both have their ups and downs. But right now with both of us working we are able to provide so much more to Jonah and Meredith and ourselves. Of course that doesn't keep me from feeling guilty everyday as I pack their bags for school. The one thing I'm learning while trying to juggle it all is that it's quality, not quantity. Be in the moment when you are with them, laugh and make a happy memory. That is what counts!

So, it's back to my life as a WAHM. Let the chaos resume!

Meredith is two months old

Ladybug is two months old today! She had her two month checkup this morning and she scored an A+ on her report card. She is 10 pounds and is starting to outgrow her newborn clothes and is now wearing her 0-3 month outfits(which means I need to place an order for more cute monogrammed onesies from Sarah) I did manage to dress her in every newborn outfit she had even though that sometimes required 2-3 outfit changes per day! You know I really hated that! Heh!

Jonah has decided to call her Merdi instead of Reagan. We love Merdi and had actually heard that nickname from a friend when she was born though we never mentioned it to Jonah. He started calling her Merdi all on his own. We love it so it will probably stick!

From 7am to 6pm she is the happiest baby on the block but right as we sit down for dinner around 7pm she turns into the unhappiest baby on the block which sometimes turns me into the unhappiest mommy on the block. I thought she had "colic" but my doctor says babies with colic tend to cry continuously for long periods of time every night and can't be consoled. Thank God she doesn't do that and God Bless those parents that have or have had a colicky baby. Meredith's night time fussiness could be from a number of things like a growth spurt, tummy bubbles, or overstimulation. We just go through our checklist that includes diaper change, feeding, mylicon, bath, baby massage, swaddle and swaying. We lather, rinse and repeat until she falls asleep. This process takes up most of our evening so I'm hoping the fussiness doesn't last too long and we can eventually get her on a schedule and get Jonah back on his normal schedule because 3 year olds should not be awake at 10:30pm!

Morning time is now my favorite time! Meredith wakes up in the best mood and loves to smile, coo and cuddle. The four of us, five if you include Riley, usually lay in bed for a little snuggle time before our day starts! The first thing Jonah does in the morning is give his sister hugs and kisses. So sweet!

She has also learned to roll over from her tummy to her back. Check out her video below with Big Brother Jonah cheering her on with a rattle!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

51 years and still going strong....

My parents celebrated 51 years of wedded bliss today!

Happy Anniversary! Knowing you are as happy together today as you were in this picture 51 years ago makes my heart smile!

Time is flying by.....

Meredith has already changed so much since the day she was born just a mere six weeks ago! She loves to be held (especially by her Daddy) and is very mesmerized by her big brother! She loves watching him move around the room and receives hundreds of kisses and hugs from him everyday. She is just starting smile and makes the cutest little laughing sound in her sleep. She hates being put in her car seat but falls asleep before we can even back out of the driveway. She loves to sleep on her tummy which is a major no-no in the parenting circle but as long as I am awake I let her. She really enjoys her baths and the baby massages I give her. I see many mother-daughter spa trips in our future! She's definitely a Daddy's girl. Any time she is upset and I can't console her, Josh will take her and it's like someone turned off the switch. She instantly stops crying and places her little head on his comforting shoulder. If she's anything like Jonah she's already figured out how to wrap herself around his little finger. But all I know is if she gets a certain pair of shoes with a signature red sole before I do we will have a major problem (hint* hint* honey)! I guess you can say she is also a Mommy's girl. She goes with me everywhere and has already enjoyed shopping trips, spa trips, and lunch at a tea room. I'm really enjoying having a daughter and watching Jonah and Meredith together brings a sense of peace and serenity to my crazy and hectic days!







pictures courtesy of JDL Photography

Birthdays and Ballet Recitals

Our family had a busy weekend celebrating our newphew's first birthday and our niece's first ballet recital. My brother-in-law's house was filled with family, birthday cake, balloons, presents, flowers and tutus. Jonah and Kayla wore each other out running, swinging and playing in the sandbox. Christian who just started walking tried tirelessly to keep up with the older two and the youngest well, Meredith got passed around to a lot of different hands that day and she her first meltdown on Saturday night right as everyone started getting ready for bed at midnight. A little drive around town with Daddy seemed to calm her down and I think we finally passed out fell asleep in one of the reclining chairs around 3am only to be woken up by four little ones at 7am that morning. Ah, the joys of being a parent!

Funny shots

Not a lot of excitement around here this week so I thought I would add a couple of funny shots that I've taken.

Jonah decided to give Meredith his money and a pacifier to make her stop crying. He's already got girls figured out! Heh!



Josh and Jonah laying on the couch.

Mother's Day

I had a wonderful time celebrating my first Mother's Day as a mother of two. I slept in late and Josh cooked lunch. Then we relaxed and watched movies and had take out for dinner. I received the sweetest card from Jonah and Meredith. And for my gift we are updating our kitchen/breakfast area so I'm very excited since it's the hub of our home and where we spend most of our time.

Hope our mother's and Jonah and Meredith's grandmother's had a wonderful day as well! Thank you for all that you do for us! We love you!



On Saturday we visited Josh's grandmother and she met Meredith for the first time. And what do you get the grandmother that has everything on Mother's Day?? Jonah, Kayla, Christian and Meredith made a flower pot painted with their hand and foot prints. It was very cute! I think those are the best gifts!

Compare and Contrast

I love comparing the photos of Josh and I when we were little to pictures of Jonah and Meredith. Here is a photo of Edd (Opa) holding Josh when he was a baby


and here is a picture of Opa holding Meredith.

What did we do before we had kids?

As Josh was bathing Jonah and I was feeding Meredith for the fifth time in a three hour time span the other night, we had a discussion about what did we used to do in the evenings and on the weekends before we had children. I faintly remember fancy dinners and happy hours in uptown during the week and shopping at trendy boutiques in Highland Park Village. We went to the ballet, attended concerts, and musicals. We visited friends in Austin and Houston on the weekends and took Riley on frequent trips to the dog park. There were get togethers at our friend's houses and we saw every new movie that came out. We could read the New York Time's best sellers latest novels in two days. We worked out together at the gym, played tennis and hit the golf course from time to time. We seemed very busy!

Now our idea of a fancy dinner is getting take out from Del Frisco's and eating it front of the TV in our PJ's while catching up on episodes of Supernatural and Smallville. Our happy hour is walking over to the bar area in our house and pulling a bottle of wine out of the wine rack from the wine club we joined a couple of years ago and pouring a glass. I have had to find boutiques that are within a 10 mile radius of my house but now my outfits need to slim certain areas and lift others. The last musical we saw was the Backyardigans and the last concert we went to was the Wiggles. Riley's only social interaction now with other dogs is during his walks around the neighborhood with Susan (aka Oma). Instead of frequent get togethers we now see and catch up with friends during our children's birthday parties and we are up to date on the latest movie releases from "On Demand". The only novels we read now are filled with pictures and are less than 25 pages. We still have the gym membership but these days it's more like we just make a monthly donation to Lifetime Fitness (just doing our part to help boost the economy).

But at the end of the day I wouldn't have it any other way. Yes, we had to tweak our lifestyle when we had children but now our life is a lot more fulfilling! And we finally understand the real meaning of the word busy!

Here is a poem that I found online that seemed to go perfectly with the theme of my post! You'll notice I made a couple of minor changes.


LOST MEMORY

I think I've lost some memory
since Jonah and Meredith were born
I don't remember sleeping late
on a lazy Sunday morn
I don't remember quiet dinners
with candlelight and wine.
Or getting up and ready for work
and making it there on time.
I don't remember summer days
just lounging on the beach
And those memories of "girls' night out"
are somehow out of reach.
I don't remember long warm baths
with bubbles and a good book
Or my favorite TV program
or a movie worth a look.
I can't remember all those things
I spent time on yesterday
And I can't remember life
being any other way.
And as I lay them down at night
and kiss my precious little boy and girl
I can't remember so much happiness,
such love and joy in my world

1 month old

Meredith celebrated turning 1 month old today! She is just so beautiful and such a good baby. She's wrapping herself more tightly around my little finger with each day! Her hair is getting longer, her eyes are turning more blue and she is starting to sleep a little more at night. She had a checkup this morning with her pediatrician and she is 8 pounds 14 ounces and 21 inches long. She received an A+ on her report card. No vaccines today since she has a cold which means we've spent the last few nights with a humidifier and my new battery powered nasal aspirator close at hand. Josh says I'm a electronics junkie but what used to be an obsession with the latest and greatest that Best Buy had to offer has now been replaced with battery powered nasal aspirators, thermofocus thermometers and electronic baby care timers. I'm not sure how I survived without these convienent little electronics when I had Jonah. With him I used a regular thermometer, my baby care timer was a piece of paper and a pen and I used the blue nasal aspirator provided by the hospital.

As I type this post she is currently snuggled in my lap asleep where she spends most of her day. While I love nothing more than holding her in my arms, I have an ever growing to do list that also needs some attention. So, tomorrow I am purchasing a new sling to see how that works. At least then I will be have both arms free. Jonah never liked being in a sling but he seemed to be a little more independent as a baby. He loves to be around people and is very social but he also enjoys his alone time. Meredith does not like to be left alone especially in her crib or in the papasan chair! She likes the constant attention and is the most content when she is being held. I think this is a result of all the attention she received while I was pregnant with her! Or it might just be the difference between boys and girls.

In one of my previous posts my tone seemed a little stressed. I would say this week that the storm has calmed down but it's still cloudy. We are still trying to figure out a schedule in the evenings that works for us. Right now I'm missing a lot, like my time with Jonah. I'm usually so tired in the evenings and busy with Meredith that Josh is the one that takes care of Jonah (and yes, he is the perfect husband). Of course it's been that way for awhile since I was on bed rest during most of my pregnancy but at least I used to be able to lay in bed with Jonah and read to him and then stay with him until he fell asleep at night or lay on the couch with him in the mornings before Josh took him to school. Now Josh lays down with him at night and gets him ready for school in the mornings while Meredith and I sleep in since we've usually just fallen asleep after her last feeding around 6am. Actually I think this is harder on me than it is Jonah. He loves his time with Josh and I love watching their bond grown stronger everyday! Another thing I miss is sleeping in my bed but on the flip side it's so nice to sleep in Meredith's room and have everything I need and not have to worry about waking anyone up when she cries at night. I also really miss my time with my wonderful husband! Right now most of our interaction consists of passing each other on the staircase and sharing a kiss and hug or bumping into each other in the kitchen and exchanging a high five! I really shouldn't complain because this past weekend Jerod and Lauren stayed with us so Josh and I had two date nights! On Friday we went out to dinner and then saw the X-men movie. On Saturday we went to our favorite Sushi restaurant and then did a little shopping afterwards! It was a nice weekend and Josh and I enjoyed our alone time together.

I have to constantly remind myself that the four of us will be able to start doing more fun things together soon and Josh and I will eventually have more time together. I'm looking forward to our summer schedule. I have so many activities planned. I just have to start finding a few more hours in the day to fit them all in!!



Please Note** I was playing around with photo editing software with the photo above. I obviously still have a lot to learn!