Pictures of the Week

"My heart>

"Lipgloss, Bows, rings and cowgirl boots"

"Sass-a-Frass"

These pictures are from Zoe's 4 year birthday pictures, but everytime I look at them I smile. Zoe has really grown into an beautiful little girl. She has always been my beautiful baby, but now she's a little girl. Everyday I see her smile, I know I am doing a good job as a mom. She's smart, funny, stubborn, adorable, caring, nuturing, daring and very loving.

HI, My name is Stefanie and I'm addicted to blogs.

I feel like every time I get on the Internet, I am reading a blog. I log into Facebook (to which I am also addicted) and immediately go to my favs and start reading all my bookmarked blogs. Some of them are people I know, but most of them are women/mommies I have never met & probably will never meet. All of them I follow publicly, I'm not an anonymous stalker.

What is it about their lives that make me want to read about their day to day? Is it their eliquent writing? or sense of humor? Is it their adorable children? Is it their ability to work, blog, be a mommy, clean and make out with their hubby's all in a days time? I dunno but what ever it is I'm hooked. This week a few of the blogs I follow have been having 'Guest Blogger' week. Really? As if I don't have enough to read already, now you are throwing another blog in the mix for me to get addicted to. Just this week I add 3 more blogs to my favs. Is that sad? Nah, it's normal right???

Picture of the Week

'Sisters'

This picture was taken this weekend at The Grammie's house. I love Ava's goofy face and how innocent and sweet Zoe looks.

Ava is 4 months old!!!

Ava turned four months old! She has hit some major milestones just this week. She found her outside voice and loves to use it @ 2am. She has rolled over from tummy to back, TWICE!! She has eaten rice cereal a handful of times and LOVES IT! She has mastered tummy time. She loves to look at everything. She discovered her feet, and they are now her two best friends. She is growing so fast, sometimes I wish I could freeze time to keep her my little baby.

Top 10

My top 10 favorite baby things so far, in no particular order:

1. Fisher Price Precious Planet Playmat
We bought Ava this playmat to try to keep her entertained. (We got it on sale at Target for $19.00, normally $25.00) She loves the mirror and the different animals. She loves to do her tummy time while talking to the monkey and giraffe.

2. Bright Starts Elephant Teether Pal

Ava has the elephant. We call him ‘Elefun’ because Ava goes crazy when we give it to her. She loves to chew on his trunk and the crinkly sound his body makes.


3. JJ Cole BundleMe Lite We got this as a shower gift and I think it is the best ever!! Texas weather is so unpredictable and the BundleMe Lite is perfect for my fall baby to snuggle into during the cold/chilly/cool weather. We love it because it is so lite but yet keeps her warm without the need for all the extra blankets.


4. First Year BreastFlow Bottles

Before Ava started daycare, she was exclusively breastfed. I bought this bottle to help her transition to the Avent bottles we would be sending to daycare for her. This bottle is designed for breastfed babies to prevent nipple confusion. She took this bottle like a champ. It was the only bottle she would take from me in the beginning.




5. Carter’s ANYTHING

Enough Said.

6. Up &Up brand diapers and wipes
We recently converted over to the Up&Up brand for all of our diapering needs. We needed a cheaper alternative to our preferred Pampers Swaddlers and the Up&Up brand satisfied our need. They are durable and hold a lot, which is great for when she sleeps through the night. The cost per diaper is $.13 and the cost per Pampers Swaddlers is $.23. The wipes are great too. (We have started using a lot of Up&Up brand product and I really like them)



7. Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisture Cream

Ava and I have had the worst eczema. We were using Aquaphore for our dry skin, but it wasn’t working. I bought some Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Moisture Cream and it cleared up both of our eczema!! I love it!




8. Lanisoh breastmilk storage bags
When I had Zoe, I used the Avent breastmilk storage bags and storage containers. But this time around I wanted something that was a little more freezer friendly. My best friend (Thanks Betzy) told me she used the Lanisoh bags and so I decided to try them. They lay flat and store flat, have a double zip lock and are thick. They are GREAT!!!

9. Baby Einstien anything.
Zoe loved Baby Einstien and still does. Ava is all about listening to the classical music and watching all the bright colors. The other day, both girls were glued to the tv watching it and I had some free time to do mommy things.

10. Baby Legs Leg warmers!
There is something about Ava in her onesie and leg warmers that just makes me smile. Plus, you get the convenience of not having to deal with pants or buttoning up a sleeper at 3am.

Tummy Time = Success

Ava really can hold her head up.. She doesn't just lay flat on her face. She's such a big girl!

Picture of the Week

'Rice Cereal'

This picture was taken last night, we decided to introduce rice cereal into Ava's diet. It was an experiment to see how well she did with the spoon and to see if it would help with her sleeping. We sat her in her chair at the table with us while we had dinner. She did really good eating/sucking it from the spoon. & she didn't make a huge mess. & She loved the cereal too. Everytime the spoon would get close to her mouth she would start getting excited, sorta like a fat kid with cake!

Spoon Feeding = Success!!!

Now time for the sleeping test. We recently converted her to sleeping in her crib, however with that she is no longer sleeping through the night (STTN). We have tried snuggling/swaddling her nice and tight, but she just kicks off the blanket and wakes up @ 1:30am, every night. & I know it's because of the crib. I put her back in her bassinet one night to see if she would STTN & she did. So how did she do last night with a full belly in her crib? Well, let's just say 1:30am comes awfully early for a momma who didn't go to bed until 12am.

STTN in Crib= Fail (again)!

Pictures of the Week

I have decided that I will be gracing you, my avid blog readers, with a priceless picture every week, aka my 'Picture of the week' or POTW. I am posting a few pictures this week because I had to many favorites... So here are my first pictures:

"Two lil Monkeys looking in"

This picture was taken while I was on maternity leave. My best friend Stephanie and I decided to take our big girls (and the babies) to the Zoo. I snapped this picture of Zoe and Mia looking at the elephants. They are getting so big, but look so small compared to the elephants.

"Bats in your cave!"

This picture pretty much speaks for it's self. I took it around Christmas time, Ava had just been changed and I was telling her "Ava, you have Bat's in your Cave" (referring to her boogies) & she would growl & squirm & kick. It was soo funny and this face is great! She soo cute!!

Now for the picture for this week :::DrumRoll:::

"Sleeping Beauty in her crib"

Tonight was the first night that Ava slept in her crib. She has been sleeping in her bassinet in our room, but the poor girl is just too LONG for it. & she has recently learned how to scoot backwards on her back... So after waking up scrunched up against the top of the bassinet, we decided that it was time to move her to her crib. Zoe was soo excited to FINALLY share her room with lil sister. I just hope she doesn't get woken up by Zoe's chit chat and 4 year old banter. The picture quality isn't that good, and it has a pink hue from her light, but I think it's great. She's been asleep since 10pm, so we will see how she does.

one week down, 51 to go...

Change is inevitable!! The first week of 2010 has been a week of happiness, sadness, aches and pains.

So lets start with the aches and pains... Damn, My legs are sore!! I have started doing Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. And she is kicking my butt, which is good!! I hope to lose the last 8 pounds I have left from my 'Ava' weight within the next few months and ALL of my 'Zoe' weight this year.

Now for the Happiness & Sadness... I recently accepted a Senior Administrative Assistant position @ UT Southwestern Physical Plant Production Control and I start my new job on Jan 25th, YAY for me!! (The happiness!) I have some mixed emotions about leaving the transplant program and all of my friends. (The sadness) I know the new position will bring new oppurtunities for growth and advancement, it's just wierd to think I won't me part of the transplant team anymore. I have grown and learned so much from them, but it's time for a change and it's a coming!!

Update on the resolutions...

• I have started reading a new book, Dear John by Nicholas Sparks. I like it so far.
• I started the 30 Day shred.
• I updated my blog!!

Not bad for a week, Huh?

P.S.~ Zoe and Ava are all doing very well. Zoe is GROWING so much and is so smart! Everyday that goes by I am truly amazed by her. She brings so much joy to my life. Ava has discovered her voice and her hands! She is sleeping through the night and loves her mobile. She has a smile that will steal your heart. I'm so glad they are both so happy, it reassures me that I am doing my job well.

Resolutions...

Every year I make resolutions and don't follow through. This year I am putting them out for all the world to see, in hopes that I will complete them ALL!!

My 10 for 2010:
1. Go on a date with my husband once a month, every month.
2. Loss ALL of my baby weight, from Zoe and Ava!! 30 pounds need to be gone by 1/1/2011.
3. Spend one hour a day, everyday, without the TV on, doing something with my girls.
4. Read 12 new books.
5. Cook a healthy new recipe at least once a week.
6. Find a church, become a member & have the girls dedicated.
7. Write a will.
8. Work towards my dream of becoming a teacher before I turn 30.
9. Save $100 a month, just because.
10. Update my blog weekly.

2009 was a tough year for me. Emotionally & Physically with all aspects of my life: marriage, family, work and pregnancy.. basically life in general was hard. I hope that 2010 is a better year for everything!!