Pumpkin Carving!

Yesterday we finally carved our pumpkins! We had bought three, one for each of us a week or so ago at the grocery store for 99cents each! Not to shabby! We were going to go to the pumpkin farm but it has been way to cold and I really didn't want to take monkey out in it for to long. Plus I think she will get more out of the experience next year when she is older.

Monkey is still to young to help out this year with the carving but she still had fun watching us work. It took a lot longer then I thought it would. Scooping the guts and getting all of them out was harder then I remember. We had a decent amount of pumpkin seeds after all three were emptied though which was nice. It took a loooong time to separate the pumpkin seeds from the pumpkin guts and we finally ended up boiling them in salt water once we got most of the pumpkin off. Then into the oven to be baked! Once that was done it was back to the pumpkins to carve. 

Chris cutting the tops off.

Scooping out the guts.

Monkey watching from her high chair.

Chris's evil face while scooping out his pumpkin. I don't know how his hand fit in there! lol!

Lots of seeds!

Trying to get them to separate.

The finished product.

I picked the cat pattern to carve and it wasn't really that fun to try and get it to stay on. The instructions said to use tape. Yeah like that was going to work! I finally had to use push pins in the parts that were going to be carved out and that worked like a charm! I didn't press hard enough with the tool to indent into the pumpkin though so when I took the pattern off it was a pain to use the drill tool to make the holes bigger. Next year I am just going to use the drill tool right on the pattern to make the holes. It would have been so much easier! 

My solution to an annoying problem.

Chris working on his.

The finished pumpkins.

Carving took a long freaking time! I'm glad that we got tools with the patterns though because I couldn't see me carving anything other then a circle and squares if I had to use one of our kitchen knifes. Mine turned out beautiful though! Chris used the ghost pattern which was also neat! The third one I just did something simple because by this time it was already like 8 o'clock or maybe even later and we started at 3pm!! It was fun to carve them though. I really don't remember the last time I carved a pumpkin, let alone baked the seeds. They were sooo good and we ate tons. We had to bake them in two batches. I found out later though that there are a lot of calories in pumpkins seeds so I made Chris bring what was left to work with him so I wouldn't eat anymore! I ate so many of the darned things! It was a good pumpkin carving experience and we were sure to take lots of photos.

15/30 - first 10 random songs with my iPod on shuffle

Day 15 - Put your iPod on shuffle and list the first 10 songs that play

1- It's not the things you say by Tiesto
2- For the ocean  by Finger Eleven
3- So alone by The Offspring
4- Cold day in hell by Tracy Bonham
5- Pain for pleasure by Sum 41
6- Walking in Circles by Our lady peace
7- Your star by  Evanescence
8- Pulling Teeth by Green Day
9- Mascara by the Deftones
10- Pardon Me by Incubus

Got to love music. I kept hitting shuffle after listing the first 10 and I have a lot of Canadian Bands on my ipod (Mudmen, Three Days Grace, Our Lady Peace, Tegan and Sara to name a few). I don't think I have ever listened to any of my music on shuffle. I always just listen to whole albums. I might have to try it sometime :)

What are the top ten on your ipod?

14/30 - Favorite Quote

Day 14 - What is your favorite quote.

This has been my favorite quote ever since I came across it online a long time ago. I have no idea where I seen it but it has stuck with me. I thought that it was by an anonymous person but double checking I found it is actually by Robert Fulghum. I think the quote speaks true. The world is full of different types of people and we have to learn to live with each other (hopefully peacefully). I know as a person I try to be nice to everyone I meet (ie the whole golden rule about doing unto others as you would have them do unto you). In general though if I meet/know someone I don't really like I just don't talk to them/stay away from them. I'm pretty easy going and surround myself with people I do like so that is never really a problem.


Here is the original quote by Robert Fulghum:

"We could learn a lot from crayons; some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, while others bright, some have weird names, but they all have learned to live together in the same box.” - Robert Fulghum (author/pastor)


The one below here is basically the same but this is the version that I had originally found all those years ago. I guess it's like that game telephone. Where the words get passed down but they get changed somewhat. Still the same thing though.


"We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names. All are different colours, but they all have to learn to live in the same box."

Monkey's first foods: Pears and Sweet Potato

This past Wednesday I gave Monkey pears for the first time. She liked them, LOL, just like she has liked everything we have tried to give her (except green beans the first night) or I guess maybe she is just indifferent. I'm not really sure which it is. I'm just glad that she is eating well :) It's finally nice to not be stressing and wondering if she is getting enough to eat. (I nursed her for the first 6 months exclusively and it was a rough 6 months). I'm sort of sad but at the same time really relieved and MUCH MUCH more happier now that she gets mostly formula during the day.  It really is a relief because the stress was not making me a happy camper and it was just one thing after another. Now I can finally enjoy spending time with her without being worried constantly.

Not to sure what to think...

I guess I like them.

So today we tried sweet potatoes and as usual she just gobbled them all up :) Also she gained a new nickname. I commented that today she didn't have a food mustache like she usually does instead it was a potato beard. Chris was like, 'like a pirate? Like black beard except it's potato beard?' LOL. So potato beard she is, well maybe only when she eats potatos.

Yum sweet potato! (hmm I guess this is almost a potato mustache)

Potato Beard!

13/30 - 10 years ago and now.

Day 13 - A photo taken over 10 years ago and a  current one, how have you changed since then?

I don't really think I have changed all that much. I am still the same old me, maybe a bit wiser then I was ten years ago and definitely well on my way to the life I want to live. You know all the things you grow up hoping that you will have someday - a nice house, a car, married, and a family. I am happy with how my life is going and still think that any future to come is looking pretty bright :)

So this first picture below is roughly ten years ago and it's the only one that is scanned into my computer so sorry that it is not the greatest. (I have to say I think I am the only person I know that actually sprained her arm getting off a ski lift. Not only was it the first time ever being on one, it was the first time getting off of it that day and the first time we ever went snowboarding. So embarrassing! :( LOL although that was nothing to the contraption they out on my arm as a splint - after of course getting to the bottom and falling at least a half a dozen more times onto my arm. Good times, good times. Seriously though why was I so afraid of falling getting off the ski lift but falling a million times on the way down the hill didn't phase me at all? I don't understand my brain sometimes). Also that is my hubby's photo 'thumb in the way' skillz. LOL The five pictures he took that day all have thumbs or fingers in them.

This picture here is from the last week or so and I hate it. LOL I'm sans normal clothing and sans makeup so yeah. But of course I look at myself and see me still with the baby weight that I gained from my pregnancy and am having a hard time losing. So yeah that is probably why :) This is me with my hair also finally starting to grow out again (Cindy if your reading this don't let me cut my hair that short again! It's finally starting to grow out though and I still have the same problem I did since the beginning of my life which is how to style it so that I don't hate it. The only thing I like about it is the colour! lol.) 

:)

12/30 - Mouse Ink Jewelry

Day 12- A talent/hobby of yours

I love making jewelry, especially chain mail inspired jewelry. I try and do at least one show a year at a local festival back home, and hope that next year I can add a few shows to my roster as well as getting my etsy store up and running again. I am sure anyone that gets a kick out of my blog name might be interested to know that my business name is Mouse Ink. The story behind that name is pretty simple. My nickname in my family is mouse since I am so quiet. When I was younger anything I made I used to do this logo on the back of it and sign it with Mouse Inc. underneath. When I registered my business name I changed the inc to ink since incorporating a business costs mega bucks. Thus Mouse Ink was born.

I haven't been creating anything since Monkey has been born though but now that things have started to fall into place I am hoping to start up again and start to get creative again. I could spend hours on the internet deciding what rings to buy, what colours and what sizes. I mostly work with anodized aluminum, because there are lots of colours and it's a pretty light metal. I also have done some things with heavier metals like steel but I have discovered that I am a weakling so it takes longer for me to get anything done. The last few years though, I have started to use sterling silver and adding a dash of Swarovski beads to the mix. I heart Swarovski beads! That's another thing I can spend hours on the internet doing - picking out beads! ( I mean how can you not love Swarovski beads? They are so shiny! ) Below are some pictures of the things I have created. I have even branched out into making chain mail ornaments and wind danglies with bells.

Jewelry isn't my only hobby though. I like to think of myself as a Jill of all trades (craft wise anyways). I also really like crocheting, painting, scrap booking and probably just about every other craft out there. I really hope that my daughter has some interest in art so we can have mommy daughter art time together.

Sterling Silver Box Chain with Swarovski donut

Sterling Silver with Swarovski heart.

Sterling Silver with Niobium.

Sterling Silver and Niobium.

Aluminum diamond earrings.

4-in-1 Anodized Aluminum bracelet

Anodized Aluminum box chain bracelet.

Triple Byzantine Bracelet.

Butterfly chain mail bracelet.

Stainless Steel Wallet Chain

Diamond key chains.

Flower key chains.

Whirly Bird key chains.

Star Pendant.

Triple byzantine necklace (I wear one similar to this all the time but blue and silver)

My ornaments

Sorry about the bad pictures of my ornaments. I was completing them last year for some Christmas presents and for some reason I only took a few pictures. They were a success though so I have plans to make more!

Monkey's first foods: Peas

Today I gave monkey peas for the first time. A book I got from the library on weaning your baby to solids suggested that when introducing new foods that it is best to do it at some point early in the day so that if she does have a reaction to it you will notice it. I really never thought about it and really it does make sense. I really doubt she will be allergic to anything since there really isn't any allergies on either side of our families but it never hurts to be cautious. We feed her pretty close to 5pm and that only leaves us with an hour before she is in bed so if she did develop any sort of reaction too any new food we really wouldn't notice it. So today I tried the new food at lunch time and gave her her rice cereal at night. Chris said he was a bit disappointed that he wouldn't be here to see her take the first bites of peas but I took lots of pictures and sent them to him at work. I have to say that it is a bit awkward when trying to take photos and feed her at the same time. If you leave the bowl unguarded her little hand shots out to try and grab a hold of it. Or she tries to grab the spoon, which is cute but not good at the same time since she like jams it into her mouth and as far as possible. I might have to look for some bigger plastic baby spoons for her to chomp on. It might actually be fun for her to try and feed herself sometime soon. I'm sure she will like at least making a mess.

Today she also for the first time was ready and waiting with her mouth open for each spoonful. I don't know if she was more hungry today or if she just really liked them or what. Having said that I don't force feed her or anything, she lets me know when she is done eating.  It was cute none the less. Here is some cute little pictures of her first bites. I took so many of them I'm sure she was just thinking 'mommy less photo taking more feeding!'

This is her favorite bib ;) haha

After the first bite.

MMMMM!

Chomp!

Also she is getting to be such a big girl that she can hold onto her bottle all by herself!

11/30 - My Favorite Band...

Day 11- Favorite band/artist

This is really a hard one since I love various artists for different reasons. Through most of high school my favorite band was silverchair. At least until their sound went in a totally different direction then from what they started with. I still liked there music it just was no longer a favorite.

Then enter Deftones who I would have to pick as my all time favorite band if I really had to choose (and since I suck at keeping up with any band or with the times mostly I would have to limit that statement to the first three albums). The first two albums where awesome, the third, White Pony, I can only call an experience. It is rare that I ever find a band that I like each and every song. You know how you pick up a new CD and there are some songs that you really love (and probably are the same ones that made you go out and get it) then there are some songs that are okay and then the ones that you really hate. I loved each and every song off of these albums. White pony when I first listened to it just blew my mind. It's still my favorite album to just sit back, throw on the ear phones and let it take me away. There really isn't any other way to describe it. 

I have listened to their fourth and fifth album and there are a few songs right away that I really like as for the rest I really haven't listened to them enough to really say what I think about them. I prefer to listen to music by earphone because I find I pay more attention to everything when I do. If I listened to music from my computer or CD player I am listening but I am too distracted by whatever I am doing at the time to really hear the music. If that makes any sense because I do hear the music just can't take in the whole effect with everything combined I guess (vocals, drums, guitars etc). Deftones are definitely my go to music, especially when I really don't know what I want to listen to. They have songs for pretty much every emotion, some are hard, some are soft and some are both.

What is your favorite band or artist?

Happy 7th Month Birthday!

Happy 7 month old birthday Monkey!

 

Time is flying by way to fast! Next time I blink my little monkey won't be so little anymore!

Weight: tbd
Height: tbd
Hair colour: Still a nice dark brown colour with red highlights when it hits the sun and getting thicker by the day.
Eye colour: Your eyes are still a nice pretty dark brown colour.
Diaper size: You can still fit into size 2 diapers but since we ran out of those and size 3 suggested weight overlap size 2 we started using size 3 (when not cloth diapering). They look so HUGE on you though. Size 2 were definately getting to small for your bum though. We still love our one size fits all cloth diapers with there funky patterns :)

Clothing size: You still are wearing 6 month sized pj's and clothes but depending on the style/brand because some are on the small side. So anything new we get you are size 9-12 months.

Sleep: You still sometimes wake up a few times after being initially put to bed at night but once mommy and daddy go to bed at 11pm we don't hear you until the morning between  6-7! Mommy LOVES this. It's so nice to finally get 6 hours of straight sleep although I do sometimes wake up at 4 expecting you to cry. The sleeping through the night has only started the last few weeks but it is soo nice! You are still a short napper, sometimes if there is time before bedtime I try to give you a third short nap but most often not we don't get a chance and we might move your bedtime routine to start at 5:30 instead of 6.

Feeding: I have started to wean more aggressively then I have been since work time is looming not so far in the distance and I need you to be fully weaned before that happens since anything tight (ie a supportive bra) gives mommy plugged ducts after even an hour. Mommy is SICK TO DEATH of plugged ducts :) So as of your 7 month birthday you are nursed before bed, if you happen to wake in the night (which never happens anymore), in the morning and to sleep during your second nap. All other times you are fed formula. Mommy had a 'victory is mine' moment today at your first naptime when you went to sleep without nursing (although you did go to sleep with a bottle but that is a battle for another time).  I am still taking the donperidone but have gone down to 3 pills a day instead of 6. So I am slowly weaning off of those as I wean off nursing sessions. Seriously though formula feeding isn't any less confusing to me then breast feeding since I still don't know if I am giving you enough! Although I bet you would let me know if I wasn't! :)

Your also eating about 1-2 tablespoons of rice cereal (around lunchtime) and have been eating baby food at supper time. So far you have tried squash, peaches, green beans, bananas, carrots and apples. So far you have liked everything except green beans the first night where you made lots of disgusted faces, but loved them the second night. Hopefully this trend continues!

Favorite toy: Crinkle bug is still your favorite toy, but you also enjoy playing with your plastic keys and your dollys (one with the nice soft skirt and the other one with the rattle in her head). You also enjoy playing with a rattle bear on the change table and you LOVE your jolly jumper! You have gotten really good at jumping the past few days and really get some good air now! You have also started to jumping forwards and backwards and side to side in your Jolly Jumper and jumping so high that the spring is no longer stretched out. We have also had to hook it up about 3 or 4 rings from where we originally had to when you first started playing in it. 

Nicknames:Monkey is still your main nickname but mommy calls you monkster more often now.

Funniest moments: When mommy and daddy where trying to get you to sleep after I nursed you. Daddy put you into your crib and you were pretty much asleep. Mommy went to get up from the rocking chair but it kept making this loud cracking noise. Daddy turned his head really slowly to look at me (ala Stewie from family guy) which made mommy burst out laughing. I got my giggles under control only for Daddy to burst out laughing. Our laughter woke you up mostly which made us laugh even harder since we had just finally gotten you almost asleep before we all started laughing. We finally stopped laughing and you did finally go to sleep. Got to love uncontrollable laughter though! (We had a good giggle about it remember it when discussing funniest moments.)

Favorite moments: Hearing you giggle after neck munches or feet tickles. SO CUTE!

Milestones:
- You have been eating more solids now.
- You roll over more frequently now (ie all the time) and since friday (the 14th) have been rolling back onto your back from your stomach. I really think crawling is going to be really soon. You also stretch your head as high and as far back as you can when on your stomach and pushing up with your arms. Then you do this cute little scream and shake your head when you go no where.
- You now can move around somewhat on the floor but it's mostly from rolling over back and forth and being able to turn yourself when you are on your stomach. I never know where I will find you.
- You still only have your two bottom teeth but I think more are going to show themselves very soon since you have been drooling a bit, chomping on stuff and running your tongue and sucking your lips over your gums.
-  You can keep your head level with your body when pulled into a sitting position with your arms.
- You say lots of jibber jabber words and like to tell long stories.
- You can bear some weight on your legs when held upright but I think most of the time when you are in that position you think your in your jolly jumper because you keep trying to jump.
- You also work a bit more to get a toy that is out of reach, you always seem to want the one that you can't quite get no matter how many are within your reach.
- You can pass an object from one hand to another.
- You turn in direction of voices especially mommys.
- You sit up really well in your high chair, bumbo chair and your exersaucer and no longer slump forwards or sideways.
- You can sit up somewhat by yourself but we still need to be right there with you incase you start to fall over but it's a start.
- you also sleep through the night! There is only ever a few wakings before mommy and daddy go to bed and you are easily lulled back to sleep during them. I love getting a block of 6 hours in a row again!
 

10/30 - Music for all emotions

Day 10: Music you listen to when you are Happy, Sad, Bored, Hyped, Mad

I honestly listen to a wide range of music. There really isn't to many genre's that I don't like and even in those that I don't there normally are exceptions (at least for a song/band/artist or two). So when it comes to music that I listen to when I am happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad it's really a wide range for each. Also at any given time it can change a lot, it just depends what I feel like at the time. So I will answer this question with music that I would listen at this time in my life if I was experiencing any of these emotions. I also need to add that I am pretty slow at finding new music to listen to (not in the sense of purchasing albums or songs but that I pretty much stick to what I have and what I used to listen to years ago). Most of the time I don't even listen to any of their newest albums besides what I had from before. I know I know I am horrible! But honestly there is WAY to much music out there and sometimes it's hard and exhausting to try and find something that I really love. So having said that...

When I am:

Happy/hyped: Techno/dance music - I especially love DJ Tiesto, Tegan and Sara, AC/DC, Bjork, Black Eyed Peas (Monkey Business), Three Days Grace,

Sad: Coldplay, deftones (white pony), Evanescence, Kelly Clarkston (first two albums), Our Lady Peace

Bored: Green Day, Sum 41, nirvana,

Mad: Incubus (S.C.I.E.N.C.E), System of a Down, Korn, Sum 41, Coal Chamber, Deftones (adrenaline, Around the fur), static-x (the heavier the better :)

ugh I could go on. It is quite a mix I have to say. Of course when I'm mad the heavier the better and when I'm sad mellow is the way to go :)

My newest find is all thanks to Jenny at Dapperhouse who made a post about Imogen Heap who I simply love now and was shocked to find that I actually knew one of her songs just didn't know it was by her! I might like a lot of different types of music but I am really drawn to bands/singers fronted by females. Probably because I am one :) Who are some of your favorite singers/bands?

Monkey's first foods: Apples

Yesterday we fed Monkey some apples for the first time. Here are some photos to show how it went. 

The first bite.

Hmmm do I like them?

YEP! :)

 She gobbled them up just like a good girl that she is :)

Mommy Paranoia

Yesterday I was seriously worried about Monkeys breathing pattern. I don't know if she does this at night because I am not with her all the time but she was doing this during her nap yesterday. I've noticed this before though but I am not with her for her full nap all the time so I don't know how often it occurs. Anyways, I nursed her to sleep around 1pm yesterday and she did her normal waking up 20-30 minutes after she fell asleep and since I was still in there with her I just nursed her back to sleep again to see if I could prolong her nap. She dropped off to lala land within five minutes. Since I nurse her to sleep for naps in our bed I just stayed there as well for some mommy relaxation time but noticed that her breathing was really fast and quick, she paused anywhere from 2-6 seconds randomly then either took a big breath, breathed in a bunch of really quick and sharp breathes or made a noise that startled her into breathing again. (well maybe those two happened at the same time) She even started to twitch and her arms go flying, also sometimes when she paused in her breathing it would cause her to startle awake and she would get all cranky. If I wasn't there she would have woken up completely. This is maybe why she doesn't sleep too long for naps and keeps waking up so soon after she falls asleep. I know periodic breathing is normal before 6 months but she is almost 7months old. I was so worried that something would happen to her before this morning when I called the doctors office. It really is freaky to watch her. I wish I had the camera with me so I could film it to show Chris (and potentially the doctor) so he would know exactly what I am talking about. I know I worry to much but this was really alarming me!

No websites are helpful either since they all talk about newborns or babies under 6 months. Nothing tells me what is normal for a 7 month old and how they breathe while asleep and go through the different phases. I can't compare her breathing rhythm to adults since our lungs are fully developed while hers are not. I have to say I was totally scared yesterday.

So this morning I called and made an appointment to see the doctor. Thankfully I called when I did since they are only in the office until noon on Friday. I got an appointment at 11:15 am. We took her in and he checked her out while I described what was going on. He said that he was not worried and that it was probably due to the immaturity still of her systems and organs and that she probably could have some form of sleep apnea but will probably outgrow it. He did a really good job at reassuring me and not making me feel like an paranoid first time mom. I love our Doctor! I just have to say though witnessing the way she was the day before was really freaky. This could also explain why she is always rubbing her eyes even after she gets 3ish hours of naps a day. Sleep apnea prevents you from getting good quality sleep so you don't feel rested during the day. Hopefully she out grows it and her sleep will be better and she might actually take a decent amount of nap time instead of waking up after 30 minutes. It's so hard to know with little ones if she is just a short napper or if this is causing her to wake up before she wants to or what. Like the doctor said by the fourth baby nothing will phase you, not like the first one who you watch like a hawk because you are new to everything. (I just have to add for any family that may be reading this I do not plan on having four kids ;)

So now I feel sooo much better and not so freaked out. He watched her for a while and said she is breathing fine and she is not struggling for air and to him she looks like a nice healthy baby who was born full term and has no health issues. I know I am still going to worry but I'm her mommy and it's my job. :) I'm glad we went though, it puts my mind at ease so now we can enjoy the weekend, well except it's calling for cold and rainy weather. Not so good.

9/30 - My zodiac sign

Day 09: your zodiac sign and if you think it fits your personality

I was born in early May which makes my zodiac sign Taurus. I definitely think that my sign fits my personality pretty well. Taureans are known for their creativity, the love of good food and enjoyable company. Their sign is the bull which makesus bullhead and stubborn but also loyal and determined to get the job done as near to perfection as possible.

I can definitely be all of these things. I'm pretty creative in all that I do, I love food and enjoyable company and am very stubborn and bull headed at times. Just as my hubby! lol. At the same time though I am very loyal and always want to do the best job that I can do. I don't think that I would want to be any other sign but that may be because I have only ever been a Taurus. Now I just need to figure out how to get all the creative projects that are rolling around in my brain started. That is one thing I am NOT good at, is arranging time to get things done. I always seem to push almost everything back because of one thing I am working on and nothing else gets done until that is completed. I am really glad that the hubster is good at planning or else I don't think we would be were we are today! :)

Monkey's first foods: Carrots

We tried a new food this past Tuesday (the 11th). Carrots! I'm surprised that they tasted like pureed carrots considering when I opened the jar they seemed to be an unnatural shade of fluorescent orange. I swear if I had a black light they would be glowing under it! Although it could be just the lighting in the kitchen. Regardless the little monkey ate them down like nothing. I'm glad that so far everything we have tried to give her she has eaten. Here are some baby cuteness for everyone to look at.

Getting ready for the first bite...

here goes nothing...

I don't think she knows what to think...

I guess there okay. Love the carrot mustache!

She just finished that jar tonight so tomorrow will be another brand new food. Not really sure what yet. Maybe apple or peaches or some other type of fruit.

My little nap resistor!

Last Tuesday and Wednesday night Monkey surprised me and slept straight through the night with only a minor half awakening when I dream fed her before going to bed myself. Not only did she do that but she didn't make a peep until Chris brought her to our bed so I could fed her and that was shortly after 8am! Thursday night unfortunately she woke up at 3:45 am. I hate getting up anymore to fed her because it's so exhausting. I shouldn't complain though at least at the most it only takes 20mins as apposed to 45 - 60 mins that it took before! Friday night it was back to sleeping straight through the night, this time with no dream feeding. All three times though I bolted awake at 6am and basically had to go check to make sure she was okay. I used to be bad for checking on her constantly but I have gotten better at it. This was so unexpected that it happened three times in one week. It's so nice to get 6 hours of sleep in a row. She did it again last night. I hope that this is a new trend!

Her naps all last week have been crappy. The only time she seemed to sleep longer or I should say stay asleep was when I fell asleep with her. Nursing her to sleep is easy when I get her at the right time. If I don't it gets pretty frustrated because she wants to nurse but she wants to look around at the same time. I have tried to darken our room as much as I can but I don't think it's dark enough still. I have been nursing her to sleep for naps in our bed the last few weeks since once she is out it is so much easier to just slink away once she is asleep. I don't have to shift her a bunch of times and then have to set her in her crib without waking her up since she ALWAYS wakes up when I do this. Some days I just need that 20-30 mins to myself and when she wakes up and cries it was really starting to take a toll on my sanity. She is such a nap resistor! The last few weeks however have been less stressful since I made the switch to our bed for naps. It's also so much easier to go back in there and nurse her to back to sleep to try and prolong her naps a bit, which results in one happier baby which makes for a much happier mommy.

I would be fine with short naps if she was okay with that amount of time but she is not. She wakes up clearly still tired, is cranky and just a terror to be around. I only was able to get her to fall back asleep without nursing a few times and sometimes that only lasted for 10 mins. I plan on staying in the room with her this week, so that when she starts to awaken after her 20 mins snooze I can lull her back to sleep right away. According to the no cry nap solution book if I do that after a week or so I won't have to help lull her back to sleep. Hopefully that is true because it would be nice to be able to get some things done around the house while she sleeps.

I think this week I am going to have to start trying to wean her off of nursing to sleep, at least for the first nap. I have to go back to work by the end of January so she needs to be fully weaned before then. There is no way that I can even nurse part time while being back to work, nor do I have time to pump. I honestly just can't take nursing any longer anyways. I have had so much trouble right from the start that I am ready to be done. I nursed longer then I thought I was going to. I remember when I was just trying to make it to the end of the 3rd month and here we are almost the 7 month mark. Currently I have replaced two nursing sessions which had made me less stressed out and much more happier. I was always constantly worried that she wasn't getting enough and quite frankly I don't think she was because after getting those two bottles a day she is a completely different baby. We also started feeding her solids at about 5.5 months old which I think also made a difference. 

So for now if I can wean her of the nursing sessions for naps I can keep the before bed, in the middle of the night if needed and the morning nursing session until December then slowly wean them out then. I know she can fall asleep without nursing since she has done it before. It is just going to be testing my patience a lot because like I said she is a nap resistor and is afraid to miss anything. Hopefully I will have some success! I'm sure after she gets used to not nursing to sleep for the first nap the transition with the second nap will be easy. Only time will tell, but really I have no choice. January is coming so quickly!

Do you have a nap resistor? What did you do to get your little one to sleep?

8/30 - My earliest memories...

Day 08: My earliest Memory

Most of my most earliest memories are of my father. A few of them are at my families old house. One I remember is that I was out in the backyard playing in my sandbox. It was a nice warm sunny day. I remember looking up towards the left back side of the house where my parents were talking. My dad was making me what we called my mouse house (a playhouse). It wasn't really that big but it was awesome and I loved it. I just remember that he was pointed at the wall probably telling mom what he was going to do next. There wasn't a roof on it yet and I am not sure if there were windows or if all of the walls were up yet.

Funnily enough I don't remember actually playing in that house until we had moved to the farm, but that couldn't have been too long after that. We moved out to the farm when I was about 3 or 4. The floor was wood and had a yellow carpet on it. The walls were some sort of chipboard like sheets and it was painted white. It had these old windows that actually opened and closed. The roof was yellow plastic sheet with ripples and it was on an angle so the water wouldn't pool on top. It even had a door that Dad made especially for it. I remember as the years went by I would repaint it white with mom to make it look fresh again.

Another memory from the old house took place in our front room. Dad was sitting on the couch and I was either sitting beside him or standing in front of the couch. I remember that I had a band-aid on my arm and was trying to get it off. But it hurt every time I tried to. Dad told me the best way to do that was to just rip it off really fast because that way it only hurt for a moment. I went to try this but of course it hurt a lot when I started. I obviously was going way too slow because I was afraid of the pain. Dad told me to come closer and that he would do it for me. He was right because after the initial shock of pain it was done and over with and then the pain was pretty much gone. 

These early memories are special to me because my father passed away from cancer soon after we moved to the farm. I was about 4 or 5 at the time. I really don't remember him all that much nor what he looked like save from the few pictures mom has of him. It sucks that I didn't get to know him better and every year that passes it's hard to believe it has been so long ago. I only have a few random other memories of him beside these two and I really wish that I had more. I guess I am glad that I was able to spend what time I had with him while he was here with us and have those few memories, then nothing at all.

7/30 - My favorite book...

Day 07- A book you can read over and over again.

This one is a hard one. I read all the time. I also like rereading books that I enjoy and there are a lot of them.

If I had to pick one well that is just really hard. My choice really isn't one book but a series of books, that isn't even done being written yet. From the first time I read A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin I knew that I would love this series forever and ever. OMG it's soooo good. Never before have I been so shocked at twists and turns and just plain old, 'OMG I never saw that one coming!!' LOVE it. I am currently reading A Dance with Dragons which is the latest in the series. I really hope that he doesn't take to long to finish and publish the next one though. The time between the last two was way to LONG! Anyways, if you like fantasy and haven't read any of these I suggest you check them out.

I love these books so much that I was super excited when I saw that HBO decided to produce a tv show based off of the series. I thought the first season was amazing and am looking forward to the second season. Good entertaining tv watching. Having said that I realize that I never listed A Game of Thrones in my last post.

I guess I could tell a little about the series. Basically it is about 7 kingdoms and the fight for control over them. There is lots of scheming and betrayal, some backstabbing and some personal awakening. Unfortunately for the people of Westeros there is more to the world then what just looks like petty squabbles over land. Way in the north, strange beings are awakening. White walkers that have not been seen in thousands of years. It's been so long in fact that they are told to frighten children into behaving but not taken seriously. So when they start to be seen again, nobody takes it seriously. The only thing stopping them from invading the rest of Westeros is a large ice wall guarded by The Night's Watch who's numbers have dwindled so much that only 3 out of the 19 castles are manned guarding it. They aren't the only thing to fear from the north however. Way across the narrow sea is a brother and sister, the last of their line of the house Targaryen, forced to flee when their father (called the Mad King) was killed by his most trusted kingsguard. They have eyes to raise an army to take back what was rightfully theirs. 

There are so many other would be kings who each think their claim to the throne is better then others.I could go on and on. There are so many more characters and story lines. It's so good! It's so hard not to talk about it with my husband who has only seen the first season of the show and is still only on the first book. I don't want to ruin the story for him but it's so hard to not say something when something shocking happens. With all series though I will be sad when he finally is done though. When you read about characters for so long you start to miss reading about their lives!

Once I am done with A Dance with Dragons I will be starting to reread The Wheel of Times series by Robert Jordan. Another fantasy series that I like. I have only read the first 5 books though so it will be good to reread them and finally find out what happens in the story. I'm so sad that he passed away before he could finish writing his books, but so happy that he was able to pass on what he had planned for the last few books. So at least we get to find out what happens at the end after all.

Okay enough blathering about books. I could go on and on. :) What are some of your favorite books? I'm always looking for something new to read! I basically read anythig, just depends on the mood!
 

6/30 _ My Favorite Television Show...

Day 06: Favorite television show

I can't get enough of or get bored of Seinfeld. As you can see from the picture we have all the seasons. (It just sucks that now you can get them all in one box but oh well). If I had to pick a favorite character it would have to be either Elaine or Kramer although George and Jerry have their moments. You can't also forget about Newman and Puddy. I think my favorite few episodes are the parking garage and the restaurant. I'm sure there are more but those ones come to mind immediately. Who would have thought all of them either wandering around in a parking garage or standing in a restaurant waiting to be seated would be funny. It's probably not a show for everyone (my mom HATED that show because she says nothing ever happens! lol) but me and Chris still love it.

Other favorite shows past and present:

- Family guy: (you can see some of the seasons in the picture. Another show that is definately not for everyone, but we find it hilarious.
- Freaks and Geeks - OMG an amazing hilarious show! It only lasted one season unfortunately before they cancelled it, which I think was a mistake. A lot of good shows get cancelled after only a season I have noticed.
- The Office - this has been on for a while but we just started watching it and I think it might be a very close second to Seinfeld. We have the first two seasons already and all I can say is hilarious! I checked out the BBC version of the show and it is pretty funny as well. Although I am shocked at what they allow on air over there. Some of the things they say/do/show would never be allowed over here!
- Parks and Recreation - This is the very newest show we started watching because it was made by the same people as The Office I believe. It's pretty funny. I have only seen the first season so far though.
- Gilmore Girls - Chis hates this show lol because he says they talk way to fast. I don't find that but whatever!
- Lost - I loved this show. We started watching it when it was almost over or was already over so we didn't have to wait for new episodes. I tell you it sucked me in so much that I did not want to go to work and spend 8 hours wondering what happened next. I was sad to see it end.
- Everybody loves Raymond - Things he did were always making my head shake. We used to watch reruns of this on tv all the time until the channel they were on was no longer available through our cable. Oh well still a funny show.
- That 70's show - Always good for a laugh.

I'm sure I am forgetting a few, I don't really watch tv to much anymore, if it is on its usually for background noise. I am looking forward to the new show by the producers of Lost. Not really sure when it is supposed to start but it's somewhat similar but it's got the fairytale weaved in somehow. I wish I could remember what it was called! Once upon a time! Ha I had to go look it up. I'm sure there are some really good shows that I am missing out on but maybe one day I will discover them. What are some of your favorite shows?

Monkey's first foods: Bananas

Yesterday we gave monkey bananas for the first time. There was almost no reaction last night so I guess she liked them. She almost seemed pretty indifferent. I guess that is a good thing? It's not like she refused to eat them or anything. We got the first few bites on camera again so here is some baby monkey cuteness. I'm surprised that so far she has liked pretty much everything we have tried to give her. I guess I should be happy that we don't have a picky eater on our hands!

First spoonful.

Taste testing.

It's delicious!?