Obviously! I have not been on here in a few months and I apologize. We recently have had a mold issue arise in our apartments and the owners are refusing to fix it properly. After having the mold tested we discovered it is a dangerous mold that can cause death, and brain damage, among many other things, so we needed to get out of there fast, and we did. We are currently residing in my parent's basement, there is a wet bar and two rooms so it really is not that bad. We plan to be out by July.
That is the current news, but let's rewind, shall we?
London celebrated his 1st birthday on Nov 2nd!! He had a great little party with just family and friends, and a nice 3D ducky cake. I cannot get pictures up just yet due to the move but I will soon enough. He is walking very well now and can get up on his own without holding onto anything. He does a few baby signs, like Daddy, more, all gone, dog, and milk. We are trying to get him to learn more and trying to teach him some new words! He loves playing and laughing and just being a huge flirt and a cheese.
In other news, we are expecting our second baby on July 4th!! I am currently 13wks along and I think the morning sickness might be slowly fading away. I have no idea what this baby is, with London I knew that he was a boy the moment that I found out I was pregnant, but I have no idea with this one. We are hoping for a girl but of course we will be happy either way. I am craving sweets like crazy and I found them repulsive when I was pregnant with London, so maybe that is a sign....I am already popping out in the front and am dreading how big I will be when I am 40wks along!!
We had a wonderful Christmas his year. It was so much fun watching London really begin to enjoy opening presents. My grandpa (mom's dad), London's great grandpa, and his wife, Gail, finally met their great grandson, and Bryan for the first time ever at Christmas and that was super special to me. I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did.
Well, I think that sums it up! Hopefully I will be able to get pictures up soon and share them with everyone. I will try harder to keep this blog updated more and more now that we have a new growth to talk about! LOL!!
Well London is almost one. Almost one. Sorry I had to say that twice because I just don't believe it. I have been eager and yet scared to see what the next stage in this baby's life is. So far his new things are, picking mommy and daddy's nose, taking off mommy's glasses, playing in glasses of water (we have grandma to thank for that one! UGH!), when we tell him to stop he stops, looks at us, then continues. Oh boy, what fun toddlerhood will be. I love him though, no doubt about that. This morning he woke up and gave daddy un-asked for kisses, it was so sweet! Did he give mommy kisses? No. Oh well, I am just a boob :)
In other news Bryan has been working hard at his new job and hopefully we can get caught up on a few things. I am currently working on a new blanket for London out of a pattern I made in my head. Hopefully it will be as good as I am envisioning it.
The holidays are scaring me because we have a lot of family to buy for and I just don't know how we can do it. I may just be making gifts though, we will see. I will update more late, I just feel that this post is a bit too ramboly.
London is getting close to walking, I just know it. Instead of crouching down and crawling when he wants to get somewhere he actually tries to move his feet. He has taken 1 step here and there, but that is it. Maybe that will be his present to us on his birthday! I am planning what to do for his 1yr birthday, and it makes me sad to think that my baby is almost a toddler! In fact, just writing that made it become more real then it should and now I am even more sad! It is getting cooler and we are finally able to get out the winter clothes. I cannot wait to be posting pictures of London playing in the snow. Other then that it really is the same old, same old....oh he has become more talkative but he only says ga! He points with his whole hand at the dog and yells, GA!! It really is cute.
London is now 10 months old.......let's see that means I have not blogged about my amazing little baby since he was only 7 months old. For that I am a bad blogger, I am a bad blogger because so many things have happened yet no one knows that. All I have to do it sit down and move my fingers to form words, and then all of you will know how my baby is doing. But, did I mention I have an 10 month old? Who crawls, and destroys, and climbs? Oh, I didn't? Well that is my excuse, so you are going to have to deal with this update!
Let's see, baby London will be turning one in just a few months and that means alot of sadness is felt from mommy. Where did my baby boy go? The one who I had to hold his head up and swaddle him? The one who just sat still where I put him? The one who would sleep throughout most of the day? Maybe I am not sad that he is getting older just sad that my sanity may be dwindling.......
He says dada, mama, and a form of dog that comes out more like ah-gh, but he does it in a very cute high pitch tone anytime he sees a dog, it really is cute.
He comes running (well crawling really fast) anytime I have food :) go figure~
He walks with assistance but as soon as I try to let go he crouches down to sitting, who knows when he will walk.
He dances ANYTIME he hears music, it can be a commercial or a theme song, he will shake his butt like there is no tomorrow.
He loves to cheese it up. If he finds something that amuses us and make us laugh he will do it again and again, all the while checking back in to make sure we are laughing. The other day he was running (again, just crawling really fast) off of our mattress and then "tripping" onto his then laughing and loving it more when we laughed, it was too cute!
As far as mommy and daddy go, we are just chuggin' along. We wound up hacving to find Rubie a new home because she snapped at the baby and luckily Bryan's brother adopted her. We are on speaking terms with Bryan's mom and everything is going great, I am beyond thrilled to have her back into our lives.
I recently had to quit watching the little baby I was nannying for because as the babies got older, my hair became thinner....... so now we are just trying to make ends meet, and I am trying to find a part time job. We will make it though, we have no choice but to.
Bryan and I are still two peas in a pod and I fall more in love with him th emore I watch him interact with our son. We are the perfect pair, I know what he is thinking before he knows it himself. He is currently looking for a better job too because his job just isn't cutting it.....so if you know of anything good out there, let us know!! LOL!!
Anyway, it is late, I am tired, and I am cramping in my hands :)
Well much to my surprise London has not stopped growing since I last posted. Yes, that's right he is doing more and more things then he was. He crawls like crazy, my poor little baby has bruised knees but still has a big smile on his face. He pulls up to anything and everything now, nothing holds him back. He says Mama when he wants to nurse, because I ask him if he wants mama's milk when we are getting ready to nurse. He talks a little more, meaning that when asked a question he will reply with some form of gibberish I have yet to understand. When he sees the cats or the dog he goes, ah-gh, I honestly think he is saying dog. He gives us kisses, and when we pretend to cry he snuggles me and kisses me until I am done. He is always smiling and always on the move now it is just breaking my heart to see that my baby is growing so fast. I don't have much time to do anything nowadays (like update this blog!), because I have started watching a baby and a 4.5 year old from home. Not to mention London is in his mommy only stage so I cannot leave for too long unless he will start to freak out. I love him so much no matter how insane he makes me, or how many things we have to baby proof now, or how he has learned to shove things away or hit them away when he does not want something. Oh boy, just like I said, we are slowly entering the teenage years, you just wait!
OK, maybe in just one place, but London has a tooth!!! I cannot express how much excitement I have via my blog, but it is alot!!! I found out that he had one while we were having an informal dinner party and London suddenly bit my hand!! Then I screamed, "HE HAS A TOOTH!!!" London's friend, Brady, who is one month older then London (exactly 1 month) got his first tooth awhile ago and I was slightly embarrassed by how excited his mom was when she found out but now I totally understand!! YAY!!
I am afraid that I am not baby proof yet. How much time do you think I have? 1 month? 2? Yeah right, London now does the downward dog pose...
only in baby form,
and he also does the baby rock while he is on his knees! He is insane!! He will be EIGHT MONTHS old so very soon!! I am so sad, but so happy at the same time. Boy motherhood is way more exciting then I thought it would be! Anyway ta ta for now!!
rockabye my baby now
rockabye my love
rockabye my baby now
rockabye my love
here's a little lullaby
here's a little song
here's a little lullaby
show you nothing's wrong
what you gonna take when you walk from me
what you gonna make of your world to be
what you gonna sing with your harmony
learn to be yourself and you'll always be
free
free
I love this song so much, it really says alot.
London is now scooting all over the place, and getting little things he shouldn't and putting them in his mouth! AHH!! The mobile stage has begun :) He is giggling more and more each day so that is very exciting. Yesterday we went to the KC Jiggle Jam and saw They Might Be Giants in concert!! They were amazing! London had so much fun! We had to buy him a little string puppet because the moment that he saw it he giggled, it was so cute! Other then that nothing new and or exciting has happened here.....
So I thought I would post the link here. Every place I put it gets me another entry!! http://www.alongfortheride.biz/contest-s/49.htmWin a Free Ergo Baby Carrier from Along for the Ride
I will post more relevant things regarding my life later :)
I have been telling myself for days now that I needed to post on her and of course that didn't happen. So my plan is to post what I had wanted to post over the last few days, all in one day. Here it goes...
April 2nd-
I am the mother of a five month old! I cannot believe that my little baby boy who not to long ago came flying out of me, is now five months old! Where did the time go, you ask? I am asking the time gods now, I left them a message and still waiting for a response. :)
April 7th-
When I first became a mom I was set on letting London tell me when he is ready for things, i.e. solids. As he became bigger I thought for sure that he would at least nurse a little less so I could have a break, but no, he still to this day, nurses every 2 hrs, just like a little newborn. So Bryan and I finally decided it was time, it was time to use the highchair for more than just a front row seat to mommy's cooking show, it was time to have extremely nasty diaper and say bye bye to the "easy to clean, breastmilk" diapers. It was time for solids. He is old enough to handle them so we are not doing anything harmful to him by giving him solids. We were fully prepared, bib, check, wipes, check, food not to thick, check. Everything was in order for a very messy experience as a little baby eats cereal for the first time. Well London took one bite, looked at us, smiled and opened his mouth for more!! We gave him more, and more, and more until the bowl was completely empty! Holy crap this kid can eat, he kept fussing everytime we weren't feeding him as fast as he wanted. He was totally ready for solids, no doubt about it! So now, not only am I the mother of a 5 month old, but I am the mother of an eating machine! You might also like to know that he STILL nurses the exact same amount as before, he even nurse before he eats cereal and still manage to eat the whole bowl and then nurses afterwards! As if he couldn't get any bigger!
Also today we went to the farm for the first time! London has an obsession with animals. Anytime Mocha is around he will stop doing whatever he is doing, whether it be screaming, nursing, whatever, and he will look at her! He loved the farm, although it could be possible that mommy and daddy love it more.
yes, he is sleeping and yes, he is a butterfly.
April 10th-
I had an interview today to watch a little baby here at the house. I don't know why I am so nervous, I just am. I hear back from her on April 11th, so wish me luck!
OK, did that wrap up the past few days? I hope so because it is 12:30 and I am off to bed!
That's right my boy is a rolling monster. Last night Bryan and I were celebrating Earth Hour
when all of a sudden Little Man decides he is tired of just being confined onto his back. No, he wants more, he needs to be mobile, to explore the world. That is exactly what he has been doing....exploring. My days of putting him on a blanket and walking away to do the dishes, or to check my e-mail are over, I am now needed to make sure that my nearly five month old son doesn't get into anything! Although he can roll onto his stomach easier than he can go back to his back because his arm gets in the way. So now I am forced to turn my house into some sort of a rolling baby arena.....
I hadn't realized how big my boy has really grown until I recently saw a picture of him fresh out of the womb. It is amazing to me how fast he has grown. When I put him on his tummy he immediately rolls over, when I laugh, he laughs, he loves to scream (not a sad scream), he loves to talk, and grab at things. I just wish it didn't happen so fast, and as I sit here and type this my little man is sleeping soundly and I miss him so. I love every minute I have with him, and I will cherish these days forever.
This was seconds after he was born
This was taken today
Well this has to be quick, but just an update to say that our car is fixed finally! Everyone is good and the weather is finally warming up outside! I can't wait to take London to the farm and all sorts of fun places!
My baby turns four months old today! I just cannot believe he is that old, soon he will be sitting up, then crawling, then walking, then talking, then off to high school, then away to college, and off to the peace corp serving as a doctor, and then married to another doctor, and then kids! Oh I just don't think I can handle it!
Well for now, before he grows older, he loves playing with his feet. He finally has a good idea of how to use his hands, and he loves to eat them. He sleeps like an angel, treats mommy and daddy well, and brings a smile to everyone's faces when they see him. As for the future, well that is in the future......
Don't worry we are still here. Despite all of the time I am on the computer I can never seem to update my blog. I am going to try harder, I promise. In other news, we no longer have a working car that can fit the whole family. It's a long story but I am sure some of you want to hear it.
Bryan had just got to work and parked the car outside of the garage at his work, and went inside. Then, suddenly the car started driving itself, seriously, it slipped out of gear! It slammed into the garage door making a sound and fooling someone into believing that someone wanted in. So the door was open, and in came the car, SMACK into a customers truck. Of course leaving no mark on his precious truck but leaving us with a cracked radiator, bent hood, broken headlight and a bent front end. Good thing tax money is soon to arrive. It is not really bothering me that much because I always say that it could be worse, and it always could.
London has discovered his voice, he screams. I think he is upset but no, he is just communicating with us. It is very cute. Other than that he has not done anything other than the same old same old, although at my mother's house he latched on to his pointer and middle finger like there was no tom
orrow, calming 
himself down......ugh, cute.....to a point
While at my mom's house the other day I was playing with London and buzzing his stomach, and guess what? He giggled! The cutest darn giggle I have ever heard, but of course now I cannot get him to do it again. Oh well.
In other news my poor husband is ill, and of course we are without insurance :( I just hope that we can get him seen soon and he feels better.
I have started a new workout program (the first I have ever started) and it's called couch to 5k, it's really easy. In the first week you start off jogging for 60 sec then walking for 90 sec, and repeat for 20 min. As the program goes on it get's a little harder, until finally by the 9th week you are jogging a full 30min. with no walking. Bryan and I did the first session on monday (seeing as the weather has been so nice) but I am not sure how to do it tomorrow because the weather has taken a turn for the worse! Oh well I am going to do it no matter what, wish me luck! I need need need to lose this baby weight!
I figured it's been two months, I might as well get this up here. I have actually had it all typed up but haven't put it on my blog!
London Epley's Birth Story:
I never had any idea of how my birth was going to go, it was hard enough for me to imagine having a baby and where the baby was going to come out. Everyone always said that I need to write what my ideal birth looks like and what I want while I am giving birth. The only thing that I came up with was, no hospitals, no medicine and a healthy baby, as far as candles, music, etc I just really did not care. I do remember thinking about trying not to be demanding and bossy, and wondering if I would feel awkward with all of these people seeing me in that situation. I just could not picture it at all.
I had a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions for awhile before he was born, and I also had various labor scares, although I never called Mountain (my midwife) to early! I think that I went into Labor on Halloween because no matter what, my contractions would not stop, they were regular all day and all night, through trick or treating with my sisters and everything. The next day Bryan had to be at work at noon and as I kissed him goodbye I asked him if he would be mad if we had a baby today (of course he said no) I did not want my contractions just to be Braxton Hicks so I took baths and slept to see if that would change things but it didn't. Bryan was due to be home around 8:30 and Camille kept asking me if I wanted her to come over and I kept saying no because I did not want this to be false and waste her time. She said that I will know if I am for sure in labor at 10 pm that night, I shrugged that off because I felt that there was no way that she could know. I asked Bryan to bring home Taco Bell because I REALLY wanted a cheesy bean and rice burrito for some odd reason. When he got home I was only able to finish half of my burrito and just wanted to walk around the house for a bit. Bryan kept asking if he should set up the birth pool but again I did not want this to be another fake labor so I told him to hold off. He also asked me if I knew if I was in labor or not so that he could call his work and start his week vacation, I laughed and said that he will know for sure only when the baby is here. So we were walking around the house, laughing and having fun and when I would get a contraction I would stop and squat down. One time that I did this I ran to the bathroom afterwards only to find a large amount of mucousy blood, so I freaked out and yelled “honey, lot's of blood, I need new panties and the phone please.” Bryan freaked out and started to get the tub ready as quickly as possible, all while I was in the bathroom. At first I called Camille and realized later that I should have called Mountain first because Camille's husband had answered and I had never heard his voice before when I asked for Camille he said “ are you in labor?” Which kind of freaked me out because he did not even say who he was or anything so I said “well I don't know I should have called Mountain I am sorry, I will call later, I am sorry” He said that she was sleeping and I was still freaking out and said “ I will call later, bye” So then I called Mountain, who sounded like she was also sleeping and I thought to myself, “crap everyone is asleep I hope this is the real thing.” So I told Mountain what happened and she said that she was going to come over because she wondered if maybe my water had broke or something. I was again worried that this wasn't going to be the real thing and she was wasting her time. It felt like 5 minutes before she got here which was really fast, but I was glad. Bryan and I still were laughing and joking and hugging. She took my vitals and said that she wanted to time the contractions for a while so I just sat on the birth ball and squatted and told her when I was getting contractions which wound up being every 1-2 minutes apart. Bryan was doing the dishes and he asked Mountain if he should put water in the pool , at this point I wanted to get in so I thought that he should, which he did. My back was on fire now, but my contractions were still not that bad. Guess what time it was.....10:00 pm, I guess Camille was right. About an hour after Mountain had been here she called Camille and my mom to come over. My mom came with a bunch of towels and her camera (of course!) I got in the pool shortly thereafter and Camille came after that. Everyone left Bryan and I alone in the room, me in the tub, Bryan looking sad that I was in pain. The contractions hurt but I could still talk in between them. Bryan was making me laugh so hard, I don't even remember what was so funny but I remember that it hurt to laugh so I started getting pissed that I could not stop laughing. The water felt so good, my back pain immediately went away and I felt at that point that this would not be so bad.....HA! I don't know how long I was having contractions but I do know that I had a minor urge to push so I was and nothing was happening. I do remember that at one point every one came back into the room and asked how I was and I could not really talk so they just stayed for a little while and watched me. I said that I had to pee and at this time Bryan had joined me in the pool and everyone said pee in the pool it's sanitary and I looked at Bryan who looked slightly grossed out and said “you can pee in the pool too.” Everyone laughed and so I just peed in the pool, when I thought I was done it felt like I was still peeing and I realized that my water broke, that was a relief. So I continued to have contractions and I was continuing to push when I had them. Mountain came in and did a vaginal exam because she didn't want me to be pushing prematurely. She said that she could feel a tiny part of the cervix still in the way of the baby and that it would really help if I got out of the pool. I really didn't want to because I could not stand the pain of the contractions and I was comfortable being in the pool and was scared of the pain outside of the pool. I got out anyway because I needed this to be over and if that would help then so be it. I was SO dizzy when I stood up and they kept telling me to squat but that was the most uncomfortable position to be in. Mountain asked if she could listen to the baby so I layed down on the bed and let her listen to him. At this point I was yelling that I could not do it anymore and that I wanted to go to the hospital and everyone kept saying that I was almost there and that I could do it, which pissed me off because I really did not think that I could do it and I just wanted to go to the hospital. I layed on my side and when the contractions came I cried and screamed that I was done, but in between contractions I felt so comfortable and I would fall asleep but when a contraction came I got so mad because I was so comfy and I cried again. I don't know how long this continued on but I was out of the pool for as long as I could be before I wanted back in. Throughout all of this I was still pushing and Mountain did another exam and could not determine if my cervix was in the baby's way or if it was tissue of some sort. So she said that she wanted me to try not to push and just breathe through my contractions, which I tried hard to do, but was still crying and in pain. Then as I was falling asleep between contractions and then being abruptly woken up I remember looking up and just seeing my mom in the room and Bryan sleeping on the bed. My mom looked freaked out and asked me what I needed, I said nothing. Then I remember pushing and my mom asked me if I had the urge to push or if I just thought that is what I should be doing because I shouldn't push to early. Again I had to breathe through them, which at this point I had stopped crying and asking to go to the hospital I was just falling asleep in between contractions and breathing through them. Then all of a sudden I felt the baby's head and that piece of whatever Mountain had been talking about just move out of the way and felt the desperate need to push. I glanced over at my Bryan and saw that he was still sleeping then looked at my mom and said, something changed, and she ran out into the living room and said that I think something changed. Next thing I know everyone is in the room and I am pushing and feeling that these pushes are good pushes and I was worried because Bryan was still sleeping but then suddenly he was behind me helping me be strong and push. Everyone was looking at my who-ha, is all I remember thinking, but they were all saying that they could see the baby and that I was doing great. I was pushing SO hard, I needed this to be over, I needed to hold my baby. I kept pushing and felt his head with my hands and then I got flashes of being a mom, and I got scared because this was real and I would be a mom in a few minutes. I looked at my mom who still looked freaked out but had her camera ready, and she said that I was doing great I got refocused and pushed harder. I felt his head trying to fit through the opening and as I felt it stretch I just felt burning pain, and it got worse and worse until *POP * his head was out. Mountain told me to reach down and catch him so I grabbed him and gave another little push and pulled him up to my chest, and cried and held him and kissed him and looked at his beautiful little face. Bryan was behind me and he was smiling and looking at little London and he just looked amazed at what I had done. I kept asking if London was OK because he was just looking at me but everyone said yes he is fine. He was fine, he was just born naturally into this world and was actually alert!!I got out of the tub and layed on the bed and just stared at him. During this time it was slightly scary because I almost fainted a few times and before the Placenta came out I lost a lot of very large clots and my uterus was not clamping like it should, so Suzanne Ryan was called and she came and stitched me up, gave me potosum, and fluids. I felt better then. Throughout my whole labor I was throwing up and when I was given a glass of orange juice I threw that up to and did not want to eat anything for a long time. London was perfect, he latched on right away, and did not cry but was looking around taking his new world in.
It was perfect, I am glad I didn't go to the hospital because London would not have been as alert then.
He is still perfect, the best baby I think I could ask for.
Well the new year is here and just like everybody I also have a few resolutions..
1. To lose my baby weight
2. To eat healthier
3. Finally to fix my credit issues and start saving for a house.
I don't think these are to unreasonable, do you?
I also wanted to mention how much I am loving being a mother and I have developed a list of reasons why it is so amazing:
1. I am the only thing that keeps this little baby alive, I nourished him when he was inside of me and I am nourishing him now, not once given up on BFing.
2. It is the most amazing feeling in the world to wake up and see my son smiling up at me.
3. To realize that I am so young but yet I am providing the best for my son that even thirty year olds can't achieve.
4. Just to know that my son depends on me and that I am able to make him stop crying, and I am able to help him feel better is just an awesome feeling of satisfaction!
Also just being a wife to my wonderful husband is an awesome feeling. I never thought that my life would turn out to be so great! I know that this year is going to be the best year of my life, watching my son grow and becoming closer to my husband and falling more, and more in love with him. I am sorry I am so mushy, I just can't help myself!