So long ago!

It has been almost a month since my last post. Things here have been busy as many of you know, but I will try and post some of the latest for those of you that haven't kept up.

Jenna, of course, had her second birthday party (the actual day). My parents were still in town, and so was Kelly so we all just had a lazy day. We stayed home most of the day, then took Jenna to the park for a few hours, took a ton of pictures and then headed to Stoll's Amish restaurant for lunch. It was nice and relaxing, which was all we wanted. Kelly and I talked about what we were doing last year on that day, stuff like that. Very sweet. The next day my parents left to go back home and a few days after that Kelly left as well. It was sad, but we knew it was coming.

For Thanksgiving, Kelly had to work, so Jenna and I traveled to Cleveland by ourselves to see family there. The trip out was uneventful, which was great. Jenna slept most of the way, we left around 4 PM so that she would sleep. We didn't get in until midnight, which was rough on me, but all in all we did okay. Jenna had a great time seeing all her cousins and playing with them. We saw 6 cousins, 3 aunts and 2 uncles, which is almost all she has. We also saw Grandma, Grandpa, Nanny, and Pop Scott so it was busy!

While we were there, they threw Jenna another birthday party! It was great! Aunt Kim had a farm theme with plates, gift boxes, hanging decorations and everything. Aunt Annette made Jenna her own special cake complete with Jenna Beans planted in rows. And of course, she got many more gifts and packages while she was there. A good time was had by all, and many thanks to all that helped make that day special for our little girl.

When we got home from our Thanksgiving trip, we had a special someone waiting for us... DADDY!!! He somehow managed to get temporary duty at Crane NSWC for 2 weeks starting immediately after Thanksgiving. (BIG THANKS TO BRETT AND ALL THE 2M GUYS FOR MAKING IT HAPPEN) It was a great thing, too because I was very tired from driving in the traffic and Jenna needed to still run off some energy.

Anyways, the last 2 weeks have been heaven for us! Kelly was home and working, so it didn't take away any of his leave time. We got to do things "normal" families do, like come home and eat together. I got to have Kelly drop off and pick up Jenna at the sitter a few times, which was very nice. I even got a night out with the girls! The first one I have had without the little one since Jenna was born. It was really a treat, even though I missed my baby. Daddy said that she was an angel while he had her, and I believe it. She really seemed to take to him this time.

In fact, he left just yesterday and several times she has stood at the bottom of the stairs and yelled "DA" hoping he would come down. I keep telling her he is at work, even though I am sure she doesn't understand. I don't know what she and I will do when he is gone for another month or two in January and February. Guess I can't worry about that now. He is planning on coming home for Christmas, which isn't too far off.

Hope you all are doing well. I have posted Jenna's Santa pic for those who haven't seen it. Classic, I know!

First birthday party Round 1

These pictures are long overdue, but it has been a busy week here at our house. Kelly left this morning, which was very sad, but we are already looking forward to having him home at Christmas.

Jenna's first birthday party was a wonderful time. We have been blessed by so many friends we call family, that Jenna won't know who is who in her family tree! In addition, Grandma and Grandpa "Cleveland" traveled from Ohio for the wonderful occassion. They even stayed for the actual day, which was a fabulous surprise.

Thanks to all who spent the afternoon with us and special thanks to my parents for making the "long trip!" It was appreciated by all.

Monday!

Only a few days left until my dear husband comes home and I can't wait! He should be here for Thursday night if not before. This coming weekend is also Jenna's birthday party and my parents will be coming to town for the festivities. It should be a great time for all, especially our little one year old!
I can't believe it has been a year. In many ways, it seems like just yesterday, but of course in others it seems so far away. I still remember this time last year, when we weren't sure if we would really be able to adopt this little one. In fact, we didn't really have ANY baby things at this time. Kelly and I went to the store and bought $100.00 worth of clothes, diapers, etc. which really isn't much. And I also ordered a basinet online since I figured that could be stashed in the attic much easier than a crib if we came home without her and it never got used. As many of you know, it wasn't until the night before that I started creating a nursery for her. Actually moving furniture and getting a separate room ready. Her homecoming was so different than what many do when they bring home their first child, but of course that just makes it more special in my mind. Now, I can't imagine living without her.
Only one week left of her first year of life! WOW!

Halloween is over!

Yes, it is finally over, but I know Jenna will be wearing her lion costume again soon! She actually went trick or treating three days! Okay, one day we had friends come over to trick or treat here, so she got dressed up that day. Drew and Annie came over with their little dog Marley. Drew had a mask on and Jenna wasn't too sure about that mask. She loved the dog, of course, but Marley had so much energy and was jumping on Jenna's lap, licking her face, etc. Bella was a little jealous, to say the least. Then, on Friday, Jenna and I went trick or treating to the neighbors around here. It was raining so we had to drive, even though it wasn't far. But Jenna had a great time! She would walk around showing off her new walking as well as her cute little tail. By the time we got home, we barely had time for a bath before she fell asleep! Then, on Saturday our other neighbors came for the night. They live in Vincennes and just weekend here. Anyways, Jenna put her costume on for an encore performance. She loved the costume, but was exhausted already when we went to their house so we didn't stay long.
Now, we have the time change. She of course, doesn't understand and wanted to go to bed at 6:00, which used to be 7:00. I decided to let her since she has been sleeping 12 hours a night lately. Hopefully, she will sleep until 6:00, which wouldn't be too bad. I typically get her up around 6:20 anyways. If not, I guess we will have to drive around tomorrow to get her a late nap and keep her up a little later.
All in all, we had a great weekend. I raked, while she spent some time with Grandma and Grandpa Taylor next door. That helped me tremendously. It's always a toss up about getting things done before Kelly gets home, so that we can spend time as a family, or leaving it for him. I decided to rake for him and got about 4.5 hours into it when the neighbor boy came to offer his help! I was very thankful because I probably had another 2 hours to go and I didn't know when I would be able to do it. So, that is done. Next order of business is Bean's birthday. Kelly comes home this week (Wed or Thurs) and that will help me be able to bake her a cake at least. Nothing too grand for her party, we just don't typically get into all that hype. But, that doesn't mean we love her any less! Can't believe she will be one. She is my little dream come true...
Have a great week.

Nothing new!

There hasn't been anything exciting to report this past weekend. Jenna and I stayed home for most of the weekend. We did travel next door for a fish fry Saturday night, which was great. We had lots of fun and Jenna slept wonderfully all weekend. 12 + hours each night. Then last night, we weren't so lucky. She just wouldn't go to sleep, I have no idea why. I tried to put her down around 7:30 the first time. I would leave her fuss for about 15 minutes, then I would go in to check on her and inevitably get her up. Then try again in about 30 minutes. Usually, all I have to do is try a second time after she has really worn herself out. But last night, she didn't get to sleep until 9:30. It was rough. Of course, then tonight she was really tired. So, she went down early tonight. I only hope she sleeps through the night. Typically, Bella gets me up at least once at night. She usually doesn't have to go to the bathroom, she just wants to be outside with her boyfriend, so she wakes me up. I put her out and leave her in the garage for the rest of the night. Sometimes I hear her barking and let her back in, but not lately. It always makes me chuckle when I hear about people who have one "bad night of sleep"! I don't think I will sleep all night through until Kelly is home for good and Jenna is about 10 years old. But, that is okay. If there is anything I have learned, it is that I am one tough nut and that this will all be a memory some day! Have a good week and Happy Halloween!

Wordless Wednesday-- Walking!!

Three day weekend

This week we had Friday off of school for Fall Break. The kids had Thursday off as well, but I had parent teacher conferences that day. But at least I had Friday off, which was very nice. Thursday night Jenna went to bed rather late, 8:30 PM, so she slept in until 7:30 AM, which was great for me. I was up by 7, but at least I wasn't woken up by a screaming Bean. It is nice to just wake up and sit in bed for at least a few minutes before you have to rush downstairs.
Friday afternoon I had an appointment to get a massage, so my friend Rosi came to watch Jenna for a few hours. Jenna pulled a fast one and slept most of the time, which was VERY new for her. Lately, she has had trouble napping at the baby sitters, so I was happy she got a really good nap in Friday afternoon. She was great in the evening, not very fussy at all.
Saturday morning we got up and went out to run our usual errands. We headed to the Commissary on base to pick up her formula, then she fell asleep so I drove to Bloomington to check out Once Upon a Child and a few other stores. Bean needs a new winter coat, and I have had trouble finding one. She needs a size 9 months and everything I can find in that size is more geared towards a baby, not a little walking "toddler." They did have one coat that can replace her fall coat she wears, which is a 3 month size. But they didn't have anything that would work for a winter coat. They also had a crawling toy, with a slide and everything. I have been looking for one at yard sales, so I was happy to find this one.
After our errands, we did stop for a quick bite before we headed home. It was only McDonald's (Jenna had the yogurt parfait), but it is never easy eating when you have a little one in tow and you are all alone. Heck, carrying the supplies by yourself is a challenge. But, we did it and she slept all the way home since she had a full belly.
Saturday evening, was a bit of a challenge, as it usually is. We did visit Grandma and Grandpa Taylor, which was nice. We got to see their "new bathroom" which was half painted. But afterwards, Jenna was fussy most of the night and wouldn't nap, even though she really needed one.
Being home in the evenings with Jenna is great, but often tough. I get lonely without anyone to talk to, but talking on the phone isn't easy with her here either. She usually wants the phone from my hands or gets upset that I am not paying her enough attention. It's times like this that I really miss my husband. Just another person popping in, sitting at dinner, watching TV with me, really makes a difference. I don't think people realize how much. Friends complain that their spouses aren't around enough, even when they are home every evening, or even just the weekends. Having Kelly gone for 6 weeks at a time... well it's tough.
I keep trying to remember that it could be worse, but... Many times it doesn't really matter where he is, just that he isn't here with me. Someday, right. Someday.

Monday!

It was a 2 piggy tail day today, I guess. I went to pick up the Bean and she had 2 piggy tails in her hair. I was truly surprised. They are cute, but I will tell you tonight I almost couldn't get one of them out. Jenna was so fussy tonight and I am not sure why. Perhaps her teeth are bothering her again. It's hard to tell. Last night, she went to bed around 8 PM, which is her normal time. She fussed, but finally fell asleep. Then at 4 in the morning, she woke me up with her crying, which isn't normal. For the past 2 weeks or so, I have turned off her baby monitor for the night and just listened for her loud crying. Crying that is loud enough to make it upstairs. Usually I don't hear her until the morning now, since I can no longer hear her little night sounds of grunts and things when she rolls over. Anyways, last night I heard her at 4 AM, so I did go down to check on her. I did take a bottle, since it is usually the only thing that will get her back to sleep. When I went into her room, I picked her up and she immediately pointed to the door. (That is her new thing, pointing to whatever she wants or where she wants to go.) I sat in her rocking chair and offered her the bottle. She took it immediately and drank almost all of it. So, then I laid her back down in her crib, and she started crying again. Not the normal fussy cry, but the "I'm going to die if you leave me" cry. So I picked her back up and went to lie down with her. However, since Kelly took the alarm clock from the spare bedroom, I didn't know where to go. I was afraid to lie down with her without a clock because I knew I wouldn't fall back asleep and if I did, I would just be worried that I was going to oversleep. Anyways, I took her upstairs to our bed. She did fall asleep a few times, but she just couldn't get comfortable enough to stay asleep and neither could I. So, at 4:30 we trudged back downstairs, where I laid her down in her crib. Of course, she immediately started to cry, but I left her there and by the time I closed her door and started walking up the stairs, she was no longer making any noise.
Needless to say, I didn't want a repeat of that today, so I tried to keep her up as long as possible. She went down around 7:30 which is about normal these days. I only hope she makes it until at least 6 am tomorrow. We shall see, but I really need a good night sleep.
Enjoy the pic of her two piggy tails, if you can find them.

Jenna's little piggy tail!

The Amish girls love to do Jenna's hair. There isn't much, but they are able to put it in a pony tail nowadays. Of course, it really isn't big enough to be a pony tail, so I call it her piggy tail. You can barely see it in this pic, but it is curled up at the back of her head. The rubber band is about bigger than the piggy tail.

STRESS!!

Okay, things this week have been stressful to say the least. School has been rougher than I thought it would be. In my defense, I have the largest number of students in this class that they have had in 12 years. In addition, I have the largest and most aggressive second grader the district has EVER seen. Today, he threw a chair in my class that left a divot in the wall. Needless to say, I am working through the paperwork nightmare to get him the services he really needs, but that is never a quick process as many of you know. In the meantime, I am doing my best in the class of 10 with the help of my 3 assistants. It has been stressful to say the least.
The last few days, I have come home and tried to relax while Bean is up. Stretching while we are on the floor, walking with her, doing whatever I can think of to help me relax. It hasn't been helping too much.
Last night, I talked to Stacie, my oldest sister. We haven't talked in several weeks. Anyways, she was telling me stories about my neice Bridgette who runs cross country and is training for a half marathon. It really made me nostalgic for the days when I was running and training for the next race. I started thinking, if only.... And then I realized I could do something! I could run a little bit. It would definately help me sleep and help with my stress level. Not to mention help with my health and show Bean a positive role model.
So, tonight, after she went to sleep, I changed and headed outside with the baby monitor. I couldn't go far because the monitor isn't THAT good, but I could run laps around the "poop loop" in front of our house. So, I did.
I didn't try and go too far or too long. Just a few laps to see how I felt and I felt GREAT! I stretched when I was finished and then jumped in the shower. It's amazing isn't it. How such a small change can really help with a person's outlook and demeanor.
Okay, so I am going to try and continue. I have a few ideas how this will work and it may be a one day at a time thing most days. But, at least it is something.
As for Jenna, she went to yet another Amish wedding today. She was in a great mood when I picked her up, although she was exhausted as usual. We left the sitter and headed to the Preschool where I used to work to check out the Open House. It was nice to see everyone, including some former students. And it was wonderful to see how much the new teacher has done that is different. She is very creative, I can tell. Jenna loved crawling around outside and in the tent they have set up in the classroom. She just went in and out of the tent about 30 times. Not sure what the fascination was, but she seemed to enjoy herself. She also met a little boy about 2 months older than her. It was cute because his mom kept saying "baby" to him and pointing to Jenna. And he is only 2 months older than her, pretty much a baby himself :-)
Anyways, Jenna fell asleep on the way home around 6 PM, but I woke her up when we got here to take her bath and play at home for a bit. Can't have her going to sleep too early, or she will be up too early. When it was time, she laid down and fell fast asleep. She is just growing so fast!
Okay, now off to prep for tomorrow. Lunches to make and laundry to get started.
Hope you all have a great night.

Jenna took her first step!

Yesterday, after I got to the sitter's house to pick up Jenna we went upstairs to meet the new baby, Regina Lynn. One of the daughters of our sitter had her first child on Friday and I really wanted to meet this new baby. While we were upstairs, Jenna took her first step on the rug coming towards me. She, of course, fell down while trying to take her second step, but at least she did get that first one in with me watching! I was so proud.
The baby Regina is adorable. She has a lot of dark hair on her head and a cute little grin, which I got to see while I was holding her. Jenna and I gave her a little gift of some new clothes and then even brought over some preemie clothes the next day.
Last night after we got home, Jenna and I went out to dinner with Tracy and her family. It was great to catch up on some of the goings on at my old job. Jenna was fussy as she usually is when we are in a restaurant. She wants so badly to get down on the floor and crawl around to see everything. After dinner, Drew and Annie got some candy from the front register. Jenna wanted some as soon as she saw them eating it. They gave her a little bite of taffy and sour straws, but that didn't stop her from wanting more. We really thought she would make a face after eating the sour straws. Anyways, Tracy came to the rescue. She had a dum-dum sucker in her purse (cream soda flavor) and she offered it to Jenna, who had never had a sucker before. She grabbed it and started sucking and chewing on it. It was too hard for her to bite through, thank goodness, so it lasted a little while. She also put her hands all over it, rubbed it on her cheek, and almost got it in her hair. But, it did keep her calm while Tracy and I kept talking.
Overall, it was a great time!
Also, I think tooth number 8 is coming through. Jenna was fussy Sunday, all day, and then again last night. When I can catch a glimpse inside her mouth I can see a white spot, but she doesn't let me look as much as she used to. Either way, she is definitely going to have a mouth full before she even turns 1 year old.
Jenna still loves being outside, and being with animals both at home and at the sitter. I can't imagine what we will do this winter. She is going to be miserable, if we can't go outside. Which won't be much of a picnic for me either.

Saying Goodbye to Daddy!

Kelly has been home for almost 3 weeks now, and it is getting to the time when he needs to return. Jenna and I are going to be heartbroken. She has really enjoyed having him around. She even looks for him in the morning after I get her out of bed. But we understand that he needs to get back to work.
Jenna is GREAT though. She hasn't walked yet. She stands, squats, can balance well, but she hasn't walked more then 1/2 a step. She has tried to step, but will fall as soon as the step is done. It is sweet, but I don't think it really counts. Nothing else too exciting here. Jenna has tried kiwi, which she loves and avocados, which she didn't really care for. She has started feeding herself more food. I gave her sticky rice the other day and let her feed herself, and it was cute. She ate most of it, whatever she could get a hold of, and the rest either stuck to her fingers, or was left on her tray.
The hardest part of this past week, is that she can't go outside because of the rain and the wet. We have had about 4 inches of rain this week and poor Jenna doesn't understand why she can't be outside. I will take her out for a minute or two while the rain has stopped, but she wants to get down and that is hard. When I put her in the gravel, she will try to eat the gravel and if I put her in the grass, it is too wet. So we have to go back inside and play. I think she is getting sick of her inside toys. The babysitter even says that she wants to be outside at their house. They will take her out on the porch and let her feel the rain, but she doesn't know why she can't be out in the grass. Maybe today we will go out in the grass just for the heck of it. All that will happen is she will get wet!
Tomorrow, Saturday, Kelly will probably have to leave. It will be hard for us, but Jenna and I will survive. We will have to go back to our old routine of getting things done on some sort of schedule. Actually, it might be a little easier, just because with Kelly home we have been out to eat some, and things have been out of our little routine, which I love and I know Bean does well with. With Kelly gone, we will just come home every night and stay home to play. Then when Jenna goes to bed I will be able to get all my chores done, many of which haven't been getting done with him home. Of course, we would just LOVE him home all the time, but being military and all that isn't an option right now.

Okay, back to work. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Kelly still home!

yeah!! Jenna and I have been having so much fun with Daddy being home it has been great! He even kept Jenna all day one day while I was at school. I wasn't sure how it would go, but the babysitter was leaving Friday for a wedding in Kansas. Her daughter was going to be home (She is 20) and she said that she would keep Jenna, but the daughter is 8 months pregnant so mom was a bit scared. The neighbor also was an option, but Daddy jumped in and said he would love the chance to bond with his daughter. They had a great time. In fact, it was so much fun Jenna didn't want to nap that day. She fell asleep in the floor in the middle of playing with Daddy when she should have been in bed for her morning nap. Then she refused her last nap and ended up falling asleep in the bathtub at 6 when I tried to give her a bath at the end of the day. It was so sweet. I laid her back to rinse her hair, she closed her eyes and was OUT! I got her out of the tub, put her diaper on, pj's on and she never did wake up!
The best news, is that Kelly is staying another week! The past 2 weeks he has been working on a land/property transfer with 2 of the neighbors. If you have been to our house you will remember that we own 2 lots. One on the lake and the other lot is across the street. The "street" is a one lane private road, so it is fairly small and not often used, but it is still a road in the middle of our property. Last year sometime, the neighborhood decided to pursue getting the road paved, which would have put a 2 lane road between us and our garden and barn. The plans fell through, but it really worried Kelly and I. We didn't think that would ever happen when we bought the property. Anyways, we decided to get off our heine's and do something about it. We asked about buying out the road in front of our house. It didn't go very far, until we talked to our neighbors. There were about 5 empty lots on the other side of the road, and they wanted more space! They realized that if they bought the empty lots, and closed the raod, they would have a LOT more space. So, one thing led to another.... and here we are! We are all buying the property across the street together which will allow us to redraw the property lines and make them more even. And in addition, the man who owns that property we are buying is president of the road LLC and he is adding in the road easements as well. It's not a done deal yet. We have to get signatures from all the people who have property on our road, which is about 4 others, and then we can get the deeds to the road. After that, we will work on the simple part of buying the actual lots. It's working out to be a great deal for us! We will have a small amount of additional property across the road, not much, which is fine. BUt we will have a LONG front yard, which we will love! Anyways, Kelly is going to be home to get the rest of the work completed for the road and Jenna and I have help. What a blessing.
Hope everyone has a great week!

KELLY COMING HOME!

Kelly called tonight and said that he is coming home Saturday, which is a few days earlier than I expected. He didn't know if he could do it. He had to get his duty schedule changed, as he has to stand a 24 hour duty out there every 2 weeks or so. Sleep on base, etc. But, he called the duty master and worked it all out so he could leave for 2 weeks! I was so excited. He still won't use all his leave before October 1st so he will lose some, but he will be home in just a few short days! I can't wait.
Jenna and I went to WaPa's house for dinner tonight. He cooked us some pasta with sauce of course, chicken and salad. It was a delicious meal and he actually packed me a doggy bag for lunch. Jenna had a very good time crawling around his house and exploring. She did slip once and hit her head on the floor, which was very upsetting for mom and Bean. But, overall, it was a great night. In fact, she even went to bed on time tonight. Which was the first time in several days. the past 2-3 days she hasn't wanted to go to bed at 8, she wants to stay up until 9 or so. I don't reallly mind her being up, but since she doesn't really sleep at the sitters it makes it tough because she doesn't want to get up at 6. Anyways, perhaps now she is back on a better schedule. We shall see how she sleeps tonight.
While I was there, WaPa and I decided that she needed to walk while Kelly was home for the next 2 weeks. Personally I am surprised that she hasn't walked already. She is very close. She will walk holding on to only one of my fingers, she can stand up without holding on to anything. She can continue standing for at least a minute if she is in the right position, etc. So, I know she is close to walking. But, she is still tiny. In fact, we are having trouble finding pants to fit her. I have been pulling out her 3 and 6 month pants because the 9 month pants are too big. When she crawls she pulls her legs right out of them. So, we are going backwards on sizes. But, that is okay. She will just more resemble Kelly and I that way. We both are a little on the short side.
Can't wait for Saturday!

More pics from Cleveland

Pics from Cleveland

Okay, the corn pic is from Indiana, but it is just ADORABLE!

Saturday afternoon

This past week was busy, but a little calmer. Jenna had a great week at the sitters, although she had a runny nose most of it and the worst thing in the world for her is to wipe her runny nose. We haven't decided if tooth number 6 s coming through or if it is just very white in that area because it is getting close to coming through. Either way, I am pretty sure that is what is causing the runny nose. I have been putting neosporin on it because it seems to be rather raw. That has helped. She will now let you wipe it a little bit, but she still isn't a huge fan.
I haven't posted pics from Cleveland because they were copied from my parents computer, which is a Mac. I can't read them on this computer, but I can at school. So, although I know they are there, I can't see them at home. One day, when I have oodles of time, and Jenna is 20 I will post them :-)
One new thing is that Jenna can now stand on her own. The other day I thought she stood up without pulling herself up, but I wasn't sure. Today I saw her do it twice. So, now I know she can do it. Only a matter of time before she walks. Kelly and I agree that she is waiting until he comes home before she takes her first step. At this time, he plans on coming home around the 8th or 9th. So, it won't be long.
Bella is doing well. She got her stitches removed today. But, the vet said her leg is infected. They are putting her on meds to calm her down, which should keep her from licking her leg. He thinks that will help. She will probably sleep a lot more, but we are all okay with that. She seems to have more energy than 5 dogs put together at times. It's better than a "satellite dish" on her head, which is another option. Nubbin had one (an elizabethan collar) to keep from licking himself when the removed his tail and it was a pain. I can't imagine Bella with one.
Okay, off to school work while Jenna sleeps. I am hoping to get somethings done this weekend so that my week is a little smoother. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

One CRAZY week!

It's over! My first week of school. Only how many more to go? It wasn't too bad at school really. I started the week with 8 students and I have 10 now at the end of the week. (2 new kids entering school, one from another county one from homeschool setting). I have 2 aides who have been through many other teachers, so they helped show me the ropes of the class. The kids are pretty well behaved. Can't say much (Confidentiality) but basically we work on feeding themselves, basic care taking skills, toilet training, etc. The day goes by pretty fast and there isn't much work to take home in the form of grading, etc. So that will help at night.

Jenna had an okay week, this week. She did seem to be under the weather for a few days. My mom and I tried to determine if her runny nose was from a cold starting or from teething. I thought it was teething since it was clear, but it seems now like it might have been a cold starting. It is getting more and more green/yellow. Anyways, she slept most of the evening Wednesday night and then appeared to be better. Of course, she still has a runny nose. Those seem to last forever. And she HATES getting her nose wiped, so it makes it that much harder to deal with her.

The other days, she was okay. She went to her second Amish wedding Friday. They said she did well, although she had trouble crawling in her dress and got it quite messy. I don't mind the dirt as long as she had fun.
Today we went to Evansville with WaPa to run some errands. She did a great job having to get in and out of the car all day, walking through so many stores, etc. Mommy got some time to try and rest while WaPa drove us home from Evansville! (small favors :-)
Then, tonight he came to the house and dropped her crib mattress to the lowest setting. It was bittersweet. I appreciated him doing it because I was starting to worry that our little climber would fall out of the crib one of these days, but sad to think she is growing up so fast. Only a few months from her first birthday!
By the way, we have no idea what we will do for it. Kelly and I aren't big on birthday parties, but I think the neighbors may REQUIRE us to have one for Jenna. Of course, she deserves it.
Our biggest news this week was Bella. She started climbing the fence and jumping out of her 6 foot tall kennel. yes, little Bella who is only 50 pounds. Sadly she got stuck on Thursday and hung by her leg from the top of the kennel for who knows how long. It must have counded horrible because 2 fishermen heard her cries, docked their boat and came to check on her. They couldn't get her loose so they went next door to get the neighbor, Don. It took all three men and a wrench to take the kennel apart and get Bella out of her predicament. Her leg was hurt pretty bad and since Don couldn't stop the leeding he took her to the vet. The vet stitched up her leg with about 8 stiches and when I picked her up at the end of the day she looked appropriately sheepish. I asked the vet if he had ever had another dog climb a fence and get caught like this. He just said "only on America's funniest home videos"
I only hope Bella has learned her lesson.
Once again, WaPa to the rescue. He took some measurements of the kennel and said he would "take care of it" for me. I think he is going to find a chain link top for it. I really appreciated that. I mean, Bella is just a "stupid dog" but I don't know what I would do if something happened to her. I have always had a soft place in my heart for animals as I am sure everyone knows. I would be afraid to put her backin there. If those fishermen hadn't been around....
Kelly and I don't want to think about that.
I hope this week is a little less eventful than last. Tomorrow I am off to school to move some furniture and get the room a little more to my liking. I hope Jenna cooperates. If not, I guess it will wait.
Love to you all!

Finally back to it!

As you can tell, I took a little hiatus from this blog. Not intentionally, but things just got so busy that I didn't even think to take time to post.

It is the last day of summer vacation, if you can call it that. I have been back to work for a week, but tomorrow I get to have my first day with the students. I am excited ad nervous as you can imagine. I have read most of their files, but until you lay eyes on the kids, you just don't know them. I have 9 students, I think. They are mostly labeled in the severe range, meaning they have difficulty with basic funtioning skills. We work on feeding, toileting, communicating, etc. I have been told that there are less behavior problems in this class, than in my previous class, but we shall see. I do have 2 paraprofessionals (aides) who are there all day I am told. So, that will help. Of course, the first day I already have a conference scheduled with a parent and another parent calling wanting a conference. One is just moving to our area, the other has issues with the class/school her daughter attends. (GREAT! Controversy right from the start!) Luckily, the decision about which school/class to attend is not up to me. It would be a decision for the higher ups, so that is nice. I can just pass it along as their fault/problem.

As for Jenna, she is doing well. She went to the doctor this past week for her 9 month check up and she did receive a good report with one exception. The Doctor thinks she is too small. She is 27 inches long and only 16 pounds, Which means that although she gained 2 inches in the last 3 months, she only gained 1/2 a pound. He said she wasn't "skinny", but he was concerned about her size. I asked what I should do and he told me to keep doing what I was doing. But, of course I started feeling like I was starving the little one. I did try and give her more formula before bed one night and that first time, she took it okay. Although she had refused a bottle earlier that day. The second time I did it, she threw up all over me. So, I am not going to try that again.

She is not walking yet, even though I really thought she would walk by 9 months, but she is very close. She will pull up to stand next to anything. She will hold on with only one or two fingers, even letting go for a few seconds, but then down she goes.

Last night, she crawled over to Bella and used her as a step stool to get onto the leather footstool and chair. Bella of course didn't move while Jenna crawled on her and Bean was so proud of herself once she got up there. (We have a climber!) It was very cute and I wish I had it on tape, but it happened too fast.

I guess everything else is status quo. Kelly works in Virginia now, so we don't see him everyday. It is tough, but our wonderful neighbors and friends have really helped. Also, the fact that I have 2 cats and 1 and 1/2 dogs to look after makes me have very little time for sad thoughts. Once in awhile though, I still get a little depressed about him being gone. But in the long run, it will all be for the best.

Hope everyone had a great summer. Pics from our trip to Cleveland to come soon.

Out Popped Tooth Number 5

Yes, Jenna has now popped tooth number 5. It's just barely coming through, but it is there. It is a top tooth just next to the front teeth. At this rate, she will have a full set of choppers by her first birthday.
She and I seem to be getting along well these past few days. Of course, Daddy called last night and he is going to come home in a week. That's right, one week from today! It was very unexpected for him to come back sooo soon, but I am very happy. He will stay for about 4 days, then he will have to return to VA. But he is planning on returned to Indiana before the end of August. There will be a 4 week break between classes and he has around 30 use it or lose it vacation days. (He can only carry over 60) So, this separation won't be so bad. That is if we can keep this up, him coming home twice each month! Of course, once school starts it won't be so tough here in Indiana. Jenna and I will be kept busy by our schedule.

Last night, Jenna and I went to visit my friend Tracy. Her kids met us in the driveway and Jenna was all smiles. Drew even gave Jenna a hug! The family just got a new dog and we met her as well. The dog is a morkie (Maltese Yorkie mix) and they named her Marlee. She is adorable. All black with a little star of white on her chest. Jenna was excited to see her, but not ask excited as I thought she would be. I think Marlee moved too fast for Jenna to really watch her. They did play together a bit, though. They fought over the cat toys and then ended up sharing many of them. And when Marlee "bit" Jenna (as all puppies do) Jenna didn't even seem to notice. I don't know if Marlee didn't bite her as hard as she bit me, or is Jenna is just that much of a trooper. Either way it was nice not to have to worry too much about them as Tracy and I caught up on the local gossip. It waa a very nice evening and Jenna fell asleep on the way home, which is only about a mile! She then proceeded to sleep the whole night through as always. I treated myself last night to a movie. I watched Memoirs of a Geisha. It was a great movie that I have wamted to see for years. If anyone wants to borrow it, let me know.

Found it!

I found this pic of Grandma and Grandpa Morgan at our house and had to post it. I coudn't find it when I was posting before. Lo and behold it was on the other camera. So, her e it is...

Day 2

Okay, the second day of our "new life" and it wasn't too bad. I have resigned myself to the idea that I won't get anything done each day, so that whatever I get done is a treat. Today, I actually got a lot accomplished. I worked in the yard a little bit, pulling weeds and picking up sticks which is never an easy task on our massive hill. I decided to pick up sticks for one hour only and I actually picked up quite a few. Especially since Bean was on my back the whole time. I also got some things moved around in the garage to make it easier for us and I got some things cleaned up and put away in the house. Of course, the best part of my day was going for my massage! Special thanks to Aunt Ashley and Grandma Rosi for watching the Bean while I went to Montgomery. My friend Wanda is my massage therapist and she is quitting at the end of the week. (It's really just a second job and she wants to devote more time to her 4 kids). Anyways, last night out of the blue she calls to tell me whe is leaving and she wants to make good on her promise to give me a freebie once Kelly and I had our baby. So, she has 2 days left to make good on that. promise I jumped at the chance and rearranged my sitter to come in the afternoon so I can get to the massage rather than early to let me do yard work. It was a very special treat being able to see and talk to Wanda and get LOTS of kinks worked out of my back and neck. Especially after carrying Bean around NYC and sitting in the car for hours.

On another note, Kelly has arrived safely to his new location. He says it isn't much of a house, but it will be a roof over his head. He reports tomorrow morning to his post and will see what all his job entails, although I think he knows most of it. He is the CPO at the school where he used to be an instructor. So, it is familiar territory.

And Jenna, she is great as always. She didn't nap much today and I finally resorted to putting her in the car and driving around. But tonight she went down easy, which is always a blessing. She is talking, if you didn't know. She says dada, mama and kitty. The only one she really says and means it is Kitty. She calls every animal a kitty at this point. Bella isn't amused as you can imagine.

Now, off to bed since I have to work tomorrow. Thanks for all the thoughts and phone calls today. I really appreciate knowing people are thinking about us.

Rough day, again

Today was a tough day here at our house. Kelly finished packing the car this afternoon and headed out to Virginia. He is going to be the Chief Petty Officer in charge of the 2M school or something like that. It was tough, I know we all kept hoping for a "stay" or reprieve or something like that. Afterall, he doesn't want to go and the guy who is here didn't want to come here. But, the military doesn't always make sense. And in the end, we were too close to his retirement check to just walk away from it.
I keep thinking that this is the roughest thing I have ever had to go through, but then I remember what he and I have been through and I know it isn't. It still SUCKS though. All I ever wanted was a baby. A child to complete our family. And now, once we have that, Kelly has to leave. I think some people think it isn't as bad since we chose to be apart. Afterall, I could have gone with him. We could have packed up ALL our things, our lives, jobs, pets, and started over yet again. (It would have been my 6th interstate move and Kelly's 6th interstate move as well. Not counting all the smaller moves we made within the states once we got there.) But choosing this doesn't make it easier. He is still gone. He can't help with Bean, take out the trash, eat dinner with us, or even tuck me in at night. Because he is simply not here. He wishes he was here, and so do I, but he isn't. And he won't be here for most of the next three years. Even if he comes back to Crane, that job involves travel. I keep thinking, at least it isn't Iraq or Afghanistan. It's no more dangerous in Virginia than here. And that helps, but only a little. I miss him. He is my best friend as well as my husband and not having him here is like missing my left arm. We love you, Daddy. Come back soon.

Back from Vacation

We are back from our whirlwind tour of the east coast and we had a great time. We saw lots of family, ate great meals with fabulous company and even did some sightseeing in NYC.

We started out around 1 pm and drove the 10+ hours to Maryland to visit my sister Stacie, her husband Paul, niece and nephew Bridgette and Craig. We had to stop more often than usual to let Jenna get out and crawl around. But we made it in about 11:30 or so. We were happy that the drive was uneventful although we were all happy when it was over.

Highlights from the trip include watching Bridgette compete in a 5K race, having some alone time with my hubby while Aunt Stacie, Uncle Paul, Bridgette and friends watched Jenna (dinner and Harry Potter), getting to see my brother's house for the first time (it's a lot bigger than I thought it would be!), playing with Sayer and Miles at their house (such a treat to spend time with them in their own surroundings), staying up late to talk to my brother and sister in law (about everything and nothing), swimming in Aunt Stacie's pool for the first time (if only for a little bit), seeing Stacie and Bridgette's reaction to Times Square (they didn't think it would be so lit up and so busy), hearing about Phantom of the Opera the day after (thank goodness Bridgette said she liked it better than the movie. It is one of my all time favorite musicals. I still cry at certain parts of it), and watching Uncle Paul entertain Jenna while the rest of us ate (she isn't just a lump anymore).

The only bad things about the trip were Sayer waking up in the middle of the night complaining about his ear hurting (turned out he was okay, just swimmer's ear from swimming twice a day at day camp), Craig totaling his car the night Stacie and Bridgette went to Phantom (he is okay too, although I think his pride was injured), and Bridgette coming down with strep on the last day of the vacation (antibiotics seems to have cured that right up). And of course the 28 hours spent in the car in 7 days with an 8 month old.

It was worth it! Thanks to everyone for their hospitality. We had a great time. It was a nice way to spend a week with my family.

more pics

Summer Fun!

This summer we have had a lot going on, as most of you know. We had company on 4 occassions and 2 sets stayed for a week. It started with my step mom Eileen and her new husband Roger. They came and stayed over a long weekend. It was nice because they were very low key. Happy to sit and watch Jenna while I worked in the garden. Or even just sit and watch Kelly work while he was frantically trying to get the wall built. We did get out to eat a few times. Grandma Morgan got her chicken livers she so loves out here! And we did go to the Amish buffet by boat, which is always a treat.

After that, my mom and step dad came for a week. It was nice to have them as well, but unfortunately Kelly had to go on travel while they were here. That threw a small wrench in the plans. Then, when the chest freezer stopped working while they were here, well that just added more fun. I was happy they were here to help me get that taken care of right away. We did take some time to go to French Lick, Indiana and see the new casino and resort that as been built and West Baden Springs resort that has been restored. It was a great time and Jenna enjoyed squealing in the large dome entryway of West Baden Springs.

After they left, my brother, sister in law, and 2 neices came for a week and my sister, brother in law, neice, nephew and their dog came for that first weekend. They all showed up in time for the 4th of July celebration here, which was actually on the 3rd of July. We had fireworks over the lake as well as fireworks on the other side of the house compliments of the Bait shop/fireworks shop out by the main road. It was nice although it was loud! The babies slept through all of it, which was a nice treat.

The older kids were able to catch about 25 fish while we waited for the fireworks to start. This was great to watch and kept Uncle Kelly busy as he was the only adult willing to bait the hooks and release the fish. I tried, but didn't want to touch those catfish!

The following day we had enough sunshine to swim in the morning, but then it turned to rain! The rest of the day was spent indoors, which was tough. We had 6 adults, 3 children, 2 babies, 3 dogs and 2 cats cooped up in one house. Oh yeah, and NO TV!! Although we did have some movies. It started getting rough and then my sister in law suggested bowling. I called and they were open Halleluiah! We headed into town to bowl. The kids had a great time and I think the youngest of the group had the highest score. You might think it was the bumpers in her lane, but my brother and brother in law were also bowling with bumpers and they didn't do so well. Anyways, no one really watched the score, they all just had fun. When it was time to leave, Kelly tipped the owner. He didn't want to take the money, but when Kelly said, "All of us, in one house, while it's raining. We REALLY appreciate you being open!" He laughed and took the money.

The next day the weather was better, although still not great. We did get some more fishing in, which the kids loved! Strangely enough, as soon as my sister and her family left the weather started to improve. WEIRD!

The rest of the week was mostly good. I ended up at the hospital with kidney stones, my neice ended up at the hospital with a possible infection. We went to Holiday World, which my neice loved, but the babies could have done without. Jenna screamed for her entire ride on the carousel, the only ride she could ride. And it wasn't a happy scream.

All in all, it was a great visit with family. My brother and his family left on Friday and although we were sad to see them leave, we were excited to begin plans for our own trip. Jenna and I are heading to Maryland to see my sister Stacie and then with her and her daughter, off to NYC to see my little brother and his family. Since Kelly is still here, he will be joining us on the trip to MD, but he isn't sure about NYC. I guess we will find out. when we get there. There are some pics of family with this LONG post! Enjoy.

FYI: Jenna is crawling everywhere and using eveything to pull herself up and stand. Kelly and I both predict whe will be walking by 9-10 months of age. And she squeals constantly! Mostly just to hear herself talk. It's is ear piercing, but we love her anyways.

Busy summer!

The weeks have just been flying by! It's hard to believe that Kelly will be moving in less than 2 weeks. I try not to think about it, but it is very hard to do. This past week we had his surprise going away party and it was wonderful! Our neighbors and friends here have been so good to us, we just can't express it. I over heard more than one person telling Kelly that his family would be well cared for when he was gone. It was really sweet. I don't know what we will do without him. I know that Jenna and I can survive without him, I just wish we didn't have to. The good news is that we met someone who lives/works in Norfolk and comes back here to work at least twice a month. We are hoping that Kelly can share rides with him once in awhile. It would really make the move more tolerable for all of us.

As for the Bean, she is doing great! She has another tooth that just popped through yesterday. It is one of her front teeth and you can see the other one won't be far behind. I can't imagine how much she will be able to eat when she has 4 teeth! She is also crawling all over the place and even pulling herself up to stand a lot. Kelly and I have seriously looked at child proofing the house, but I don't think I will get too far with it until our company has come and gone.

The garden is coming along well. I have picked lots of bounty from it (zucchini, squash, tomatoes, green beans, green peppers, onions) and have given away lots. Although we love to eat it, I just haven't had time to do anything with it lately.

Okay off to check on my husband down by the lake. We are trying to get all his projects done by the time family arrives July 3rd. He will do it, I just know it. And if he doesn't, the projects will just have to wait. Duty calls and he will ship out on the 8th of July while our company is still here. At least Jenna and I won't have an empty house when he goes. Of course, our first rendezvous is planned for July 24th, so it won't be too bad this first time. Can't wait until he can retire! I guess we should start counting those days next.

First swim!!

Jenna took her first swim yesterday! We got home from schooland the babysitter's and it was HOT! We don't have the air on and inside the house (in the basement) it was still 78 degrees. Jenna was bored and miserable even without her clothes on, so we decided to do something different. We went down and put our feet in the lake to test the temperature. Since Jenna didn't object too much I thought "it's time for a swim!" As soon as Kelly got home, we grabbed our suits and the camera and headed in. Jenna wasn't too sure at first. She held on really tight to Mommy with her eyes as wide as saucers. We went deeper and deeper into the water and actually she did better when more of her was in the water. Finally she relaxed enough for me to pry her hands off of me and spin her around in the water. We started jumping up and down and she really liked that until she got water in her mouth and spit up a bit. But, she didn't get upset because she was willing to stay in the water and keep exploring.

Not long after that, she realized she could splash! Something she hasn't really done in the bathtub. Of course she didn't like it when she splashed herself in the face, but she never did cry either.

All in all, she had a good time. When it was over, she got her bath and went off to bed. Clearly exhausted from the busy day!

This past weekend!

This past weekend held a few challenges for Jenna and I. Nothing we couldn't handle of course! We started working on getting her to sleep on her own, which was more of a stuggle for Mom than for Jenna. Wednesday night we started limiting how much we go back in her room after she is put down for the night. I went in with her, rocked her while she got her last bottle, then I laid her down while she was sleeping. The problem was, often she would wake when I put her down. So, I would pick her up and rock her more. This just perpetuated, as you can imagine. Anyways, Kelly wanted me to leave her in her room to cry for a bit and it almost killed me. But, we did it. Jenna cried for exactly 8 minutes before she stopped. Of course, then after about 30 minutes she started again and I didn't know what to do. Luckily, she didn't cry much. I went in and rubbed her back and talked to her. Then Nubbin got in bed with her and about 5 minutes later she was down for the night. And so began our little routine for the last several days. She gets a bottle and rocked for one more song after her bottle. Then, it is off to bed for the night. I think she is doing well with this. Better than I am, actually.
Our second issue this weekend, was when she went to visit Terri and Grace for a few hours so I could work in a friend's yard. Jenna wasn't too happy about it and after 2 hours (about an hour before I was done) I went back and got her. I think she is going through a stage because all she wants is Mommy! Not even Daddy, just Mommy. Of course I don't mind most of the time, but sometimes it can be tough. Tomorrow I go back to work for 2 weeks of summer school and I only hope she isn't like this for the baby sitter. If she is, I guess we will deal with it. Luckily, a few months ago our sitter got a phone installed in the barn, so I can call and check on her throughout the day. I am hopeful that since she has been with them for awhile, she will be okay, but we will see. There are worse things than her being attached to Mom, that is for sure! Have a great week everyone.

Jenna and Ethan

On Wednesday, our friends Jasen and Lori came up to visit us from Evansville and they brought their beautiful son Ethan who is about 10 days younger than Jenna. He is a cutie with lots of blonde hair and big blue eyes. He is a little bigger than Jenna weighing in at over 17 pounds, and around 27 inches long. As opposed to Jenna's 15.5 pounds and only 25 inches. But he is just as curious as she and loved being on the floor with new toys and big dogs all around. (Ethan has a little yorkie at home names Lucy) The kids had fun as you can see. Jenna enjoyed pulling on Ethan's ear and hair. While Ethan enjoyed sucking on Jenna's sock and pacifier.

We all enjoyed a nice dinner grilled by Kelly, a "scary movie" that the kids couldn't finish watching so the dad's did (A Bug's Life) and finally a lazy afternoon walk with lots of sunshine and conversation. We were hoping for a boat ride, but the weather didn't cooperate. We will have to do that next time.

She likes it!

This past weekend I tried my hand at homemade baby food. Why? you ask. I don't really know, except that I was pretty sure it couldn't be too hard and I wanted to feed Jenna something more homemade. So, I steamed some carrots and then broccoli and I let them cool. At first I put the carrots in the food processor to puree them, then I realized that the blender would be better. I added some formula and some white grape juice and blended it all until it looked smooth. I did the same with the broccoli and then put it in the fridge for today.
At lunch, we tried it. Well, Jenna tried it I just tried feeding it to her. She LIKED it! I was a bit worried because I didn't think it would taste exactly the same as the brand name stuff and altough she isn't picky I didn't know how she would respond. I doubt it tasted the same, but she really ate it down. She even ate the broccoli, which she has never had.
So, now I am going to try my hand at a few other flavors. I have potatoes on hand already. I will probably process those with cooked chicken. I also have corn, which I know Jenna likes. I have a recipe to process those with a few other veggies, but I may try them on their own first. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. There are some recipes on the net, but I think it is also a matter of taste. It will be a summer of experiments I guess. At least I have a baby who is willing to try almost anything!

Summer projects!

Summer has officially begun for us now that I am off school so Kelly and I have started our summer projects. This year things are very different for a few reasons. Of course, Bean is the biggest change in our life. We are so excited to be spending our first summer with her. Our second big change this year is that Kelly will leave in July, so he will not be around to help with things after that. He is actually hoping to have all his big projects completed by the end of June so that he can enjoy a few weeks around here without things hanging over his head. Both of these things have thrown a loop in all we are used to.

Kelly and I are both very outdoor-sy, if you didn't know. I have a garden that is very large and usually feeds us through the winter with many things. Kelly has a tractor that NOBODY thinks he truly needs on our little piece of property, but he does put it to good use around our house and on our long private road. This year, we knew we had to make some changes.

The garden is still as big as always, with 4 kinds of squash, cantalope, onions, garlic, strawberries, green beans, tomatoes, 3 kinds of peppers, 2 kinds of cucumbers, tomatillos, fresh herbs and corn. However, we turned a portion of it into a community garden of sorts. Our neighbor Don planted peas, beans, corn and tomatoes in the last 6 rows. And our friend Rosi planted pumpkin, peppers and tomatoes in another row. It's great because it really fills out the garden. They have also offered to "bean sit" whenever the garden needs weeding, which I truly appreciate.

Kelly didn't have too many options for his projects. He had to repair some damage to our property, mainly our retaining wall. This was demolished when the sewer was put in and our hill was running down Don's hill, which wasn't good. We also needed storage space, hence the tremendous barn project. This past weekend Kelly worked on the wall, and almost finished it! Our goal is to eventually tear out the existing upper deck that is slowly sinking into the ground and replace it with patio and a retaining wall. His work this weekend showed us that it is possible, once we have the money and time.

The garden... well, we shall see how it fares. So far only the strawberries have come in and Bean hasn't let me pick them too quickly. (she won't even sit still for that too long.) As for picking tomatoes once a week and then spending all day canning them, we shall see if that happens at all. If it doesn't, they do freeze very easily. Or, if that doesn't work, we do compost quite a bit. It's all a learning experience isn't it! We still love you Bean, and wouldn't trade you for ANYTHING!

Next school year

As some of you know, I was called to the Coop office Tuesday for a meeting with the boss. Basically she offered me a position at an Elementary school in Washington, which is about 30 minutes away and in the opposite direction from our baby sitter. Actually, she offered it, then recinded her offer, then offered it again. I will have to get an additional category on my license, but she assures me I can do this online through West Virginia University. Another teacher in the Coop just did it. It isn't ideal, but it is full time and it will have retirement benefits and all the bells and whistles of a REAL job. I will miss the Preschool terribly, but this position is also an established classroom with 2 experienced aides, so I won't have to reinvent the wheel like I did last year. I am excited and nervous and a little disappointed that I am not going to somewhere that I know. But, it will be a good thing, right?
As for our little Bean, she is great. She has been riding around on my back most of today which she loved. I, of course, am beat. Hope everyone out there is well.

Growing up!

I am sure not the last time Kelly and I will think this, but Jenna is getting so big already. She started eating solid foods at 4 months old and now she has just gotten so good at it, she might not need us anymore:-) (okay, not that good)

She eats solid foods at least once a day, I try and feed her solids twice a day, but it depends. Her favorite food is sweet potato, but she also loves peas, green beans, and oatmeal. She isn't a big fan of banana baby food strangely enough, but she will eat it. We haven't tried real bananas yet. I bought some that need to ripen little more before we can try it. She also didn't like the strawberry, apple combination. She does like applesauce alone or in her oatmeal.

Figuring out when to give her food was a challenge. We started with dinner because that was when I was home from work, and it just seemed like we had the most time then. It worked well, so she gets solid food every evening around dinner. She also gets some for brunch, if we are home. After lunch is usually her long nap so that doesn't work. We also tried first thing in the morning, but that didn't work. After a long 10 hours of sleep, she just wants her bottle and doesn't want to mess with the spoon. When I moved it to brunch, around her 9 AM bottle, that was better. The problem is, we aren't always home at this time. I am hoping with summer I can get her on a more regular schedule, but who knows with Kelly being gone. I think Jenna will have to learn to be flexible, which she probably is more so than I am.

So, what does she eat? At this point she is up to Stage 2 baby foods, mixed flavors (corn and sweet potato or broccoli and chicken). I plan on working through all the store bought foods and then moving on to making my own. I didn't have time or desire to make them too early since I was still working. Now that I am off, I figure I can try it. She also drinks juice (Apple or grape so far) from a sippy cup. At first I had to basically pour it in her mouth, but now she will actually suck it from the cup. She can't really get the cup to her mouth yet, although she really tries. She will reach for it and I help her get it to her mouth. Of course, we are working on the sign for drink, but she hasn't picked that up yet either. She also gets small bits of cereal that dissolve in her mouth. These are kind of like the crackers she was eating before, but they are little pieces so she can pick them up and put them in her mouth herself. Some of the cereal bits miss the mark, but she can get them in as well. She also has yogurt melts, which are the same concept in that they melt in her mouth. She gets these for breakfast and she really likes them.

Kelly and I are so proud. We try and have her eat with us as often as we can. We want her to learn about family meal times, so we sit together, eat and talk in the evenings. What else do you do without TV?

By the way, neither Kelly nor I really miss the TV much. Last week he was out of town and, although we still have our PVR, I made a point not to watch the TV. It wasn't that bad. I got some reading done and even cleaned the bathroom one night after Jenna went to bed. Something I usually try to do when she is awake for some strange reason. The thing I miss the most is the weather. I check weather.com, but I don't think it is as accurate as local forecasts. Guess I will just have to talk more to friends and find out from them. Or watch the weather forecast on the local TV website in the morning. I just don't think about it.