Sunday, October 21, 2012

A post!

Shocker, I know. Here is what we are eating this week.

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Creamy Turkey Dinner or this
Wednesday: Chicken Parm
Thursday: Leftovers


Friday, friends are in town- I am thinking this for dinner and then this for breakfast. We are still gluten free (which needs a post in itself) and honestly it hasn't been hard. Oh, we also gave up canned soup but that was almost a year ago.

This week was big (are there small weeks anymore?) with Emma catching her first virus. Thursday she woke at 530 with a fever and was lethargic, fussy and clearly not feeling well. I nursed her, gave her medicine and put her back to bed. We went to the Dr. and found nothing. She was really sick all day Thursday and into the night. Friday we brought her back to the Dr. and still nothing. They did cath her to rule out a UTI and the initial results were negative but we are waiting on the ones that were sent out.  Friday continued with much of the same on into the weekend. All sorts of fun from vomiting to diarrhea (great blog material) and even bloody stool (still reading?). Here's to hoping this next week is much better!

Here are some old photos:

Robert after a much needed haircut.


Laying in Emma's crib.
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Sunday, August 12, 2012

March 2012/April 2012




House on Moving Day
We had a long close date (just had a baby) so we lived in limbo between appraisals, inspections and trying to find another house. Back when I had found out I was pregnant I planned Robert's 3rd birthday down to the napkins but the whole house selling thing/closing the week of his birthday squashed the party. We planned instead to take him to Disney to eat with the characters. Great idea but after the reservations were made our buyers asked to moving closing to that weekend. Oh, life! Robert did turn 3 and it was still very fun. He had cupcakes for breakfast and opened his presents (Firey Flynn and the Sodor fire crew) that morning. Went hit up CPK for lunch and the cupcake shop.

We also celebrated Amy G's big 3 with a party at the park in Riverside. Always a great to be with the Gibsons.

The Wednesday before closing we decided that I would leave and head to my parents and then we would stay till our house was ready. I was up at 4 to make sure that I had every thing put together and packed. I packed as much as I could the night before but I was packing us for 6 months in the event that our closing went through I had a back up rental at the beach. Talk about strategy. Packing for kids is tough but packing for a baby is real science. Once the car was packed we had literally no room, not even for a Ritz cracker. Robert slept in the pack n play, Emma in the swing and we were on a bedding pallet so to speak. We woke Robert around 6 and put him in the car. It was bitter sweet leaving. More sweet (we were ready to be gone) than bitter given our relations with Pitt bull family next door. We were blessed with so many great memories at that house though. Baby showers, wedding showers, birthday parties, holidays. Robert and Emma both came "home" there. It really sunk in then that even good things are hard and cause some pain. I didn't cry. I also don't think Robert really knew what was going on. He knew his stuff was packed and we were getting a new house but I think he still thought we would live in that house again. It took 3 hours to Orlando. We had major traffic once we hit the Old St Aug on ramp and we had to stop at Starbucks at the new 210 home exit as well as feed Emma.


When R called to say that the house was offically sold
House Sold!


POD #2
POD #2 Being Picked up and taken to storage


At closing
Back of Car as we left

Passenger seat as we left
Easter came right after we moved in. The bunny was generous with the kids. In hindsight I wish we had left the bunny for other families. Something about a large, live bunny who comes and leaves things at your house. Especially on such a important event in Christianity, salvation specifically. With out Easter there would be no reason to celebrate Christmas. It seems we celebrate the real Easter at service after celebrating the fake/fun Easter with baskets from a bunny. We did finally make it to the big Moore Easter hunt which was fabulous. Great people, well organized and more than enough for all of the kids. We missed last year due to the broken leg which made this year all the more (ha, ha) exciting.
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More February 2012




These are not edited but just ones I had on the computer. Emma was around a week old. It was tough becuase the photographer (Jess) was so great but Emma only wanted to sleep at the end (isn't that always the case) and the weather had turned cold suddenly (limited outside shots) and we were set to look at more houses that afternoon (limited time).
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Sunday, July 29, 2012

February 2012

Robby celebrated the big 3-1 on the 1st and we also had yet another offer. I should add that the Monday before (30th) the lady came and Robert and I went for ice cream (groupon) at the dreamette. Turned out that you have to spend the entire amount in one trip. Robert and I had to spend something like 15.00 on ice cream. Doesn't seem like a bad thing but standing there tying to get 15.00 worth of ice cream for 1.5 people was interesting. I drove home and the people were there. We did the usual drive through the neighborhood several times as all of our ice cream was melting. the showings are usually no more than 2 hours- this lady was still there 2.5 hours later! I pulled into the vacant lot to wait. It was then I realized our house was sold and Robert was making trouble (he was quiet). I looked behind only to realize that he had in fact consumed an entire large milkshake and what was left was smeared all over our window. We had lunch for Robby's birthday and discussed the offer. Unlike the first one that was comical at best. This was serious and worth considering. We countered and then they came back. They wanted our house and they wanted it yesterday. We had yet to have Emma (important) and needed time. We finally ironed it out and realized that we had no house to move into! We set up some vacation rental situations but moving to a final destination seemed best.

Ella Charlotte's shower was that Saturday the 4th and we looked a tons of houses but nothing. I had a prayer shower on the 7th that I think I will remember for the rest of my life. Coffee club was the 10 and the inspection was that day. We had to leave the house super early and Robert and I hit up Starbucks and Peterbrooke for some gifts for my shower hosts. Robert and I became really good at setting up the house and running out only to visit around town and then come back. Coffee club was great. Odd how I still remember it. We did a "View" type talk and Michelle did fabulous as the host.

Emma's shower was that Saturday and was a blast. Great to be kidless and spoiled. Not to mention be with great friends all at once. Lucy did a smashing job hosting and even had the china out! It made for a very special memory and was a great way to prepare for Emma. I even managed to run late as I got stuck behind a train. After the shower we went yet again to look at more houses. This time we found a great one that had only been on the market 24 hours. We made a full price offer, minus closing costs and crossed our fingers. Long story short...they said no. Our offer was contingent upon our closing and they didn't want to take their house off the market. Back to house hunting!


Kee Kee came that Monday. I had Robert at 39 weeks and we figured it would be safe to have her here at 39 weeks just in case Emma decided to do the same. I went to VW for service and CBS the next day. No Emma. We went to the Zoo that afternoon and walked like crazy. No Emma. I went on all sorts of errands and walked and walked the next day. No Emma. I started walking at night (one night for 2 hours) and no Emma. That Friday the 17th we had an ultrasound scheduled because her due date was that Monday the 20th and they wanted to check in on her. Robby decided to go with me and we drove separately. I had been feeling funny but I had had the same feelings several times before during the pregnancy and thought nothing of it. We even tossed around the idea of Robby going onto work. He however decided because the appointment was so early that he would go and then head to work. I remember driving over the bridge and having to catch my breath and thought I just might be in labor but it wasn't really uncomfortable like it was with Robert so I figured it was just braxton. We had the ultra sound and she looked great. Then we waited to see the midwife (my favorite). When she walked in I said, "I think I am in labor." She said she would check and as she walked by me she put her hand on my belly and said, "Yeah, that's a contraction." When she went to check me I remember her saying, "big numbers, big numbers." The look on her face said it all. She said, "wow, you are a 4!" She kept asking, "Are you sure you are not in pain?" She left to get a nurse and Robby and I looked at each other thinking the same thing...we are going to be at this hospital tomorrow morning eating breakfast....pregnant. They came back with the monitor to hook me up and monitor my contractions. I asked if they were going to admit me and they decided because this was baby #2 that they would. They continued to watch the monitor and ask if I was in pain. Finally I sent Robby out into the hall to get one of them because laying down was not to comfortable. They came back in (two nurses) and said, "wow, look at this." I guess it was really labor?? I don't know what the shock was. We left to go to admitting and laughed thinking about Robert's admitting experience and low and behold....they did it again...lost my papers! This time they went ahead and sent me up. I had to go in one elevator and Robby in another. I went into the L&D room and changed the channel on the TV. They had some awful reality cop show about people being murdered. Not exactly labor material. A nurse came in and casually said she wasn't my real nurse that they were short staffed and someone would be coming later. She knew that this was baby #2 and wanted to get everything going because second babies are faster. She put the gown on the bed and told me I could change. I remember telling her that I would need a minute and was laboring hard at this point, rocking back and forth. She asked me all sorts of questions and I had to sign a few things. She also kept asking me questions about how my labor was going and at one point we both looked at each other and I said I was nauseous and in transition. (I think she checked me at sompoint also) She transformed into superwoman. She took my right hand and began the I V. I, in all my medical wisdom proclaimed my desire to have My IV in the other arm and under my wrist. She informed me that we didn't have time and she could only stick me once and it had to count. At this point Robby walked in and I told him it was coming. The nurse hooked up the heart monitor on me and (it was 1030) walked out to get something, supplies I think. Robby of course went into total doula -amazing mode (I think in his prior life he was some sort of birthing coach??) and started asking all sorts of questions as to what I needed and what he could do. Finally he said, "Do you want me to just be quiet? I will just be quiet." I asked for my CD player (only cool people still have one of those... and use it) and started to listen to the hypno birthing cd. It was hard to keep that with the monitor and the I V. I gave up after a few seconds. He kept his hand on my back and I looked up at him and said, "I have to push." He said, "What??? Wait right there." I remember thinking in my head, "roger." I heard him yell down the hall "She has to push!" Seconds later the door flew open and people, all sorts of people started running in. I said I had to use the restroom and they said I was not allowed (hospital policy). They asked to check me again and I was an 8 I think but we had no OB so they were paging my OB and I stood again and was laboring asking if it was to late for an epidural and they confirmed. The thought crossed my mind- what if I regressed? what if I wasn't close? They told Robby that he was going to have to help, that they didn't have enough people working, that everyone was in surgery. My OB flew in and checked me saying I was complete and just had water. She asked if she could break my water and I said yes. Realizing that I had NO idea what was going on I sat up and threw my hand out and shouted "stop." I asked what it would feel like and she told me I wouldn't feel anything. I braced for the worst because when is that statement ever true? She broke my water and she was in fact being honest. She then started walking me through it and I got ready to panic yet again. I had not done this without an epidural and had no idea what I was doing. It was like something out of a birthing video, she looked me dead in the eye and told me it was ok and that she was going to walk me through it. She started giving directions and Robby says I pushed twice- I really don't remember. I just remember thinking about the ring of fire everyone talks about and waiting for it. When it came I remember thinking the statement is untrue...it is in fact fire but a cannon ball of fire, not a ring. Emma Clara Jones was born at 11:11 February 17th. We had no camera, only my iphone. No cute outfit or hair accessory. I remember the OB staring at me and saying, "You still have all your make up on!" I reminded her I was only coming for an ultrasound.

These are slightly out of order. I remember with Robert feeling excitement but he was born in the middle of the night after almost 24 hours of hard labor. All I wanted to do was sleep. With Emma, I couldn't sleep. I just wanted to watch her (and Fox News) and Robby and I kept saying all night, "Can you believe what just happened?!?" I felt like something from the 6'o clock news headline.










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January 2012

This was a big month (understatement of the year). It started off with me at 33 weeks pregnant with Emma and a trip to Disney with Kee Kee and Gobo. I still laugh because the morning we woke to go to Disney Robert didn't want to go, he wanted to stay and play at Kee Kee and Gobo's house. He agreed to go only because we loaded in his dump truck. Around this point our neighbor was constructing some "thing" in his yard. Scared it was some sort of dog contraption Robby went to speak to him one Saturday morning when he saw him in the yard. His fears of a dog pin were put to rest, it was in fact just a fort. While standing there he did have the chance to meet their dog- a pit bull. No need for details, just a few quick points of reference. They had a pit bull and were not to interested in leashing it. We had several quotes come in for a fence and selling our house was cheaper than installing a fence. On the 11th I put a sign in the yard. Our house was for sale. On the 17th we had a caravan of Realtors and I made a huge breakfast and pot of coffee. We also had a showing that night. The 18th we had a second showing. Robert also had an ear infection (croup) and I had another ultrasound (Emma was measuring small). That next week of the 23 we had yet another showing and our first offer the 26th, a showing on the 27th along with a counter offer. Ryland's party was the 28th and a great time. The 30th we had another showing and a caravan on the 31st. Oh how exciting February would turn into....

Disney 2012- Emma in utero

Disney with Kee Kee and Gobo

Pit Bull Exhibit #145790, no leash
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December 2011

We had a great Christmas. Amish Breakfast Casserole and I am sure we had something sweet. Santa brought Robert a train table, outdoor play set and he received a Little People race set from us. We had a hilarious night getting it all assembled. I remember putting the race set together and then Robby was putting the outdoor play set together with a screw driver bc he forgot to charge his drill. He asked me the very pregnant one to climb below to hold the two sections together... good times, good times. I then went on to assemble the train and opened the container, set out the map and didn't know if I should laugh our cry. I can now say months later I am a pro at the track but the first go round was something out of an engineering camp course. An hour in and Robby still hammering, drilling (drill charged at this point) and sweating with no end in sight comes to the realization that after all of his assembly he knows Robert is going to come down the stairs and take one look at the train table and care less about the slide. It made my train table efforts all the more important, ha! Robert woke up the next morning saying, "Did Santa come?" We could hear him through the monitor. Robby ran upstairs to get him and brough him down. We have it on film- great memory. We did a Christmas dinner with Robby's side on a weekend before and then Christmas afternoon the McGregor's all came. Steven and Celina included. We had a great meal. One I will have to add links for.

Thanks to Pinterest we were crafting up a storm. One day we did ornaments and it was a hit.


I had a major Mom fail. Robert loves to decorate the gingerbread houses and I thought how great it would be to do little ones. Well, not so great. They were so little you couldn't get them to stand and then when you did get them to stand you couldn't decorate them beacuse they were so small.

Robert mastered the puzzle making and loved putting them all over the house in all designs.


We wrote Santa a note and left it with the cookies and milk and carrots for the reindeer.

Christmas morning breakfast of champions.

Tearing into the toys
Train table in all it's glory.
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Starting in November...

It looks like the last post was really November 2011 with Robert helping to paint Emma's room. Well, Emma's original room. Emma's original room had more coats of paint, crown molding and more work put into it than I would like to remember and we laugh thinking of all the work we know the current owners I am sure have no appreciation for. Looking back at November...




Pete the Cat Arrived!



 Robert loves the book, "Pete the Cat" and was very excited when Pete the Cat came to live at his house along with a new copy of "I Love My School Shoes." He and Dad still read both books every night. Oh, notice the pacifier- we broke that this past January.

In November we also did Disney with Nana and Pops. Robert still loved it. It was our second trip and hilarious to see him greet every character with "It's me Robert!"


I thought the second go round he would lose interest in the characters but he definitely did not.

He loved the race cars again with Dad. I remember the laughing at the curve when Robert almost flew out. Dad caught him by the collar and was able to sling him back inside the car.

 I noticed a crack in our Ballard bookcases and much to my surprise they shipped us new ones for FREE and then when those arrived with a crack they shipped us another set. Lucky for us the third set seemed to be the charm.
 Robert LOVED Santa. We saw him every chance we could. This was his first meet and greet at the Town Center. We were first in line and ready to go with the Elves opened up. He loved the bell Santa gave him and talks about it still to this day. He told Santa he wanted "a lot of toys" and that he would bake him cookies and cupcakes and cake and leave them for him and the reindeer.
I know technically on this post I am supposed to be talking about November but this was our Christmas photo and it was taken in November. You can't see but I was 6 months pregnant.
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It's a post!

Emma, Newborn photos 2/12, Jess Cumbie Photography
I blogged before thinking I was behind. Now, four months later, I am really, really behind (enough commas?). It has been so long blogging that blogger has redone much of the site and I am learning all over again. I blog now at 4249 our new house. Starting at the middle of January until April first we listed our house, sold our house had Emma and then bought a house. Where do I begin to blog? Oh, and Robert wore his final diaper, graduated from the crib, turned three and we got a new car (September 2011). Blogging is a hard justification. On one hand documenting the memories is enough reason to keep going and on the other I feel some days so busy living life that I hardly have the brain power to type it out. We are so blessed.

Lets play catch up....
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Thursday, March 22, 2012

Oh, Blogging!

I am behind. Way, way behind. Since my last post (November) we have:

-Finished Emma's room
- Gone to Disney 3 times
-Celebrated Thanksgiving, Christmas and the new year
- Listed our house for sale
- Sold our house
- Had Emma
- Bought our new house


More posts to come!
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