Thanksgiving was a eventful

My family has been struggling lately. I have been trying my best to be there for everyone. It is so difficult being a good daughter, wife, sister, friend, and mother; in the end I know my responsibilities begin and end with my son. It was hard this year to find something to be thankful for especially with the mind boggling news we were all hit with. In the end I will say that I am thankful for my health, the happiness of my son, and my husband and my growing love and friendship.
 Wednesday, we spent the evening with my mom and grandparents. I made amazing snicker-doodle cup cakes to celebrate my sister's birthday (it was Nov 10 and she was in Austin). I also made my usual pumpkin pies, which were better than usual; I think I may have added more spice since I know the recipe by heart and only eye the amount of spices. The cranberry sauce was great, except I'll have to strain it the next time; I added frozen black berries which tasted great but had a lot of seeds. Lastly, I made sweet potato balls a la Paula Dean; really good! Even though Nick couldn't eat much of this, he was able to enjoy green beans at the table. Pre-Thanksgiving dinner was yummy!

Thursday, we went to my mother-in-law's for an early dinner. It was good, as always. Nick enjoyed himself also. He loves playing with his uncles and grandma. Now that he constantly babbles, it's difficult not to have fun with him. He also ate more green beans and some sweet potato; of course he wanted more and more potatoes since they were sweeter than what he's used to.

We finished Nick's 1st Thanksgiving at Marcus' uncle's house. Many of the cousins still had yet to meet Nick, so it was fun showing him off a bit. He played with a couple of his 2nd cousins, which was great since he spends most of his time at home playing by himself. Of course, Great grandma had to get a good picture in.

Since I still wanted to make my own turkey and didn't stock up on leftovers we had an After-Thanksgiving dinner on Friday. I made my Salvadoran-style turkey, which came out off the bone awesome. I made a sweet potato casserole from Wednesday's leftover potatoes, a veggie medley which included red potatoes, carrots, parsnips, brussel sprouts and some herbs all roasted in the oven, a tomato and mozzarella with basil and balsamic vinegar salad, and a green bean casserole I made Thursday. It was just as tasty as every other dinner we went to.
I love Thanksgiving, and I hope that Nick will love it when he gets older. Now to get ready for Christmas...

Halloween is only the beginning

We had a great Halloween weekend. I think it's the most we'd done in weeks, maybe months. On Friday we dressed Nick up as a tiger. This was a costume that my co-worker let me borrow, but it was a little too big. He loved it though and could not stop smiling.

Saturday we went to what was supposed to be a pumpkin patch. It was definitely not much of a patch. Half the pumpkins were going bad, and there were about 100 total pumpkins which isn't much when you count the small ones. I did get some pumpkins for pies though.

 The place we went to was actually a persimmon farm. We didn't know what we were picking, but it was fun, and Nick had a great time on the tire swing they had. 

 

  

The big day, Sunday, was good. Nick put his cute pumpkin pjs on and wore his great pumpkin around his neck (you can't see his feet, but they're pumpkin footies). He was curious as to why Leni would bark when people knocked on the door, and he kept observing all the kids in there costumes. He lasted until the 2nd group of kids and fell asleep in daddy's arms. He was too cute for his 1st Halloween though.

Little did he know that once he put his head down the planning started for all the holidays coming within 2 months (3 if you count his birthday).

OMG! HE'LL BE ONE ALREADY!!!  That is spooky.

9 months

It goes by fast. Nick is 9 months today, and he has grown so much. He's standing, not on his own yet. He's recognizing words like dada, mama, no. His hair is finally beginning to grow everywhere not just on the top part of his head which makes it look like he has a mo-hawk.
We got some family photos, and they'll be ready tomorrow. I'm too smart for myself. We took maybe 7 photos of us together so we could get some super cute Nick photos. So glad I did that b/c Nick began to cry 6 pictures in. I think we got 2 really good pictures from both sessions. Oh well, he's a baby, and I'm glad I stopped the photographer when I did.  They should be ready soon, so they'll be floating around.


This month has been interesting and exciting. Marcus has had a couple of interviews with a couple of companies and hopefully we'll get some good news at months end. It's also nerve racking b/c both jobs have their challenges. One is in a different city, and we'll have the new challenge of being apart on the week days for at least a short while; we'll see how long that can last without us relocating. The other job will also require for us to be apart b/c Marcus would be traveling 30-40% of the time. Either option will be difficult, but I am being supportive b/c I am ready for whatever life throws at us.
I think I am realizing that it might be b/c Nick has spent so much more time with his daddy than with me. Sometimes I feel that he doesn't want to be with me. It kind of feels that once Marcus begins to work he'll have more time with me than with him. It is so ridiculous to be jealous of your husband. I will get passed it now that the light bulb went off.


At 9 months, we have decided that my Honda Civic Coupe is too small even for one kid. I will have to get a new car, and I have my eyes set on a couple of really great crossovers. I've researched and compared both, and I think it will come down to the test drive. My little car will be paid off in June 2011, so that is when we will get a new car.
Something that is not too small is our house. I was worried when we first found out we were pregnant that we we're going to have enough space, but it's plenty. No, we don't have a guest room, but when you have a baby under one it's nice to not have to worry about accommodating an overnight guest. Also, with Nick's crawling, it's hard enough to keep up with him now, I can't imagine what it would be like if we had even more space. Even though I am scared that Nick will trip or fall down the stairs, I'm glad that the rooms are separate b/c it's easier to keep up with him -- at least for now.

Nick's Future

This weekend I was catching up on Oprah, and saw the show about education in America.  After watching this and the response episode, it really made me think about Nick and his future. Even though we hadn't planned on having children at the moment that we were looking at house, I always kept in mind the school district we would be in. Now that my son is here, he will do wonderful where ever he goes. I will make sure he studies hard and grows to his fullest potential. He is so freakin' smart, and I'm not saying that just b/c he's my son.
From the Oprah show, I quickly learned that Nick is not the only child I need to think about as far as education. Why is our education system broken when the future of this country depends on them? We can't lower the education standards the way Texas has in order to get more children to pass. We need to raise the standard for students. If we continue to ignore our deteriorating education, I see a shortage in great lawyer, great doctors, great teachers, and even great mechanics in our future.
I saw these shows on Sunday, and haven't had time to research what I can do to change this, but I will soon. If you're still not convinced that you should do something now whether or not you have school age kids, think of the person that will be handling your taxes in 25 years. If he gets a C in accounting but b/c the standards have been lowered it becomes an A. Sorry, I want someone that knows their stuff backwards and forwards, someone that can give me the best return possible. No ones education should be limited to average.

He's 8 months

Nicholas has been living his baby life for 8 months now. I can't believe how fast time passes. I've told you that Nick scoots back; well, now he's crawling...kind of. On Saturday, he actually took a few knee steps forward. It was so exciting since Marcus and I were both with him, and we both began letting out a couple of tears. Gosh, we thought it would never happen. He still goes backward more than forward, but he's getting there.

Butt Scoot

Forward Crawl

Also, his 2nd tooth came in. I always figured they'd come in pairs, but not Nick's teeth. It's one at a time for him. Yes, he has bitten me after feedings, but a firm, "no," usually gets him to stop. Now thinking of it, it's been a while since the last time he did it, and he almost did this afternoon, but he stopped himself.
We bought Nick a book; Dr. Seuss' A B C to be exact, and he loves when we read to him. It's cardboard so he'll try and turn the pages. He's as successful as an 8 month old can be I guess; he'll turn once or twice. It's too cute. I guess I need some more. Little by little we'll fill his library.

1st book ever, Good Puppy

New Book, A B C

I've been reading, and as early as 6 months you can begin teaching a child sign language. I think we'll start with Nick. At least we'll see if it works for us since I do speak to Nick in Spanish. I'm not sure if teaching words in English, Spanish, and ASL will confuse him more. Nicholas will be one smart cookie, that's for sure.

Something I realized this weekend is that we don't kiss as often as we used to. We kiss when I leave for work, when I get home from work, and when we're ready to sleep. I know we kissed more before we got so Nick busy. Without speaking, we made the decision to kiss more often by kissing about 10x in a row. It's tough thinking about anything not baby related, but we know that we need to keep our relationship good and healthy too. Yes, the three of us are a family, but Marcus and I are life long partners.

For every bad evening there's a great weekend

After an evening like today, I have to remember the happy smile to keep me from crying and thinking I don't spend enough time with Nicholas.
I got home, took Nick from Daddy's hands so he can work out and I can hang out with the little guy.  I fed him, played with him, watched the news (more playing while trying to listen), I ate so I could feed Nick afterwords. Then he begins with his little kitty whining. I try and entertain him and nothing worked for long. I put him in his highchair to feed him some dinner, and he hardly eats. Wait, wait, wait. I realize that he's only eating when he can see Daddy, as soon as Marcus is out of sight he begins screaming and crying. Why? I almost started crying just thinking he only wants Daddy b/c he's with him all day, and he doesn't see me for 11 hrs out of the day. We sit downs and he begins hugging but then pushes me. Now I know he's sleepy, but bath time isn't for another 30 min and bed time is 30 min after that. After Nick falls asleep Marcus says, "Oh yeah, he didn't take his last nap." No wonder he was in such a crumby mood.
He's in bed now without his bath and 8 o'clock feeding. I guess we'll see what time he decides to wake up.
I go back to the weekend and smile.
Friday we went to our friends house for a late football game, and he was sooooo good. I was so worried that he would cry the entire time and we'd have to go home early, and even though there was some crying, he was good and I watched 85% of the game (most of what I missed was b/c I fell asleep). 
Saturday I took the little man shopping. He needed some PJs and shorts, and I needed some shirts and tennis shoes. We went to the Houston Premium Outlet which is not far from the house and found everything at discount, of course. Even though there are at least 2 more mo. of warm weather, there were no shorts to be found (I've learned my lesson). He was so good, I couldn't believe how patient he was. We got to the last store, and as soon as I was deciding on what to take home, he began whining. I was just so excited that we got through 2 hrs that I didn't mind the crazy looks I was getting.
Sunday he was so good playing with me. I read his ABC book, we jumped around, we danced, and we played with blocks. Of course he took some really great naps that kept him from getting cranky. I got less tears during the weekend than I did just for this evening.
This weekend I definitely learned that I don't have to worry about Nicholas being a baby.  I was more worried about it than anyone else. Whats the point of stressing out; everyone understands. Today, I had to keep telling myself I am a good mom, and I am doing everything I can for my baby.

I love my Nicholas!

Nicholas is 7 mo plus some weeks

Nicholas is doing well. Last weekend I saw my baby after he woke up from a nap, and he looked so different. I'm sure he hit a growth-spurt (his pjs aren't long enough, gotta get some this weekend), but there was something about him that looked different. He's growing too fast. With the holidays around the corner I know time will pass even faster.
He is too funny though. He loves bouncing around in his bouncer. He's at the point where he doesn't want to sit so he fights us every time we try to put him down. Once we manage to put him down all he wants to do is find the nearest thing that is elevated so he can pull up on it. Now, I have come to realize that he may never crawl. He hates being on his stomach, and when he gets on all fours, he's butt skooching backwards. I don't mind it, but we haven't even baby proofed the house yet.
Yesterday and today he has been annoyed with everything. He doesn't want to play, doesn't want to be held, he won't go down like he usually does for his naps, irritated after bath time, doesn't want to eat baby food. Maybe his 2nd tooth is cutting through? I don't know what's wrong with him. When he finally does fall asleep for his naps they're longer than usual. Maybe all this butt skooching, trying to stand, and laughing is making him tired and irritable? If only babies could talk to let you know what was wrong (or right for that matter).
Sometimes it feels like I'm doing everything wrong. I feel bad b/c Marcus spends way more time with him, so I feel he knows him better. I have the need to spend as much time with him when I'm not working, even when I can't handle it any further, and I just want to pass him off to Marcus. Then I feel bad that I'm passing him off b/c he's with him ALL THE TIME. I'm sure he's tired and needs a break.
IT'S SO HARD!!! I don't know how people can have 2 or 3 or 10. I don't think I can do it again. Before you say, "Oh, no. You need another." Think about what it was like for you to raise more than 1 child. Then, think, oh yeah, Jhoanna and Marcus are raising this child, not me. We will decide when we're ready and if we'll ever be ready for another. Of course we've been thinking of having another (not any time soon), but it's been a tough week.

Wasn't my 30 day transformation great? Well, the next one will be more than 30 days later. Last Friday I sprained my ankle. I know what my family will say, "Of course, you always get hurt." Well, the last time something happened to me was 10 yrs ago, so shush. My ankle is already feeling better, probably around 75%. I had a follow-up appt today and the doc said to push as much as I can, but not to the point where it hurts. As long as the pain continues to decrease I'm golden. He also said that driving my car is a good benchmark since it's standard.

30 days of P90X

It’s been 30 days, and although I’ve had a few bumps on the way, I did it. P90X is so difficult, but it gets the job done. I began it weighing in at 155, and now I’m at 147. I have to say that is awesome considering how big my boobs and butt are. Just looking at my 1 day and then my 30 day photos is inspiration to continue. I haven’t measured myself to see how many in I’ve lost, but my clothes is loose enough that I know I’ve lost everywhere.

Before starting, I let Marcus know that I wanted to do this, and he was totally on board. He started the week after me b/c of his surgery, and he is going strong. I can already tell that he is buffing up and losing the lbs too. The other day, we were playing with Nick, and I poke him on his side close to his abs, and it was totally hard. I mean complete muscle. I had to keep feeling around b/c it was so unbelievable. We’re gonna be the hottest couple out there; hotter than Brad and Angelina! Oh yeah!

Nick is working on his own exercises. Even though he does not like being on his belly, he loves sitting up and scooching around on his butt and knees. Most of the time it's backwards though. I almost think he will skip the crawling and go to standing/walking. He will grab onto my leg or the foot stool and try and lift himself onto his knees.

1st day of class

I was late for work today which made me think of a million different things.  Coming out of my neighborhood, I saw the kiddies waiting for the bus. Going down the road to get to the freeway I passed about 5 school buses, and getting even closer I found myself stuck in traffic with a bunch of high school kids in their nice cars waiting to turn right to get to the school.
Nick is 7 month now, and in 4 yrs he'll be starting Pre-K and in 5 he'll be in Kindergarten. A scarier thought is when he starts high school or better yet his Senior year of high school in 17 yrs. I cannot imagine my little baby during any of those times. I know that it'll come sooner than I think, but I don't want to think about it.
Then I thought of my first days of school, and they were scary every single year. I was always nervous thinking I'd go into the wrong class room. It'd be scary to think of the kids from last year that never talked to me and the new kids that would probably never talk to me. Then high school was a little different since I had my choir friends and I'd always look forward to every year until my last year.
I'm going to do everything I can to make sure Nick is comfortable in school. I know I won't be able to control the other kids, but I can make sure he does whatever he wants in school and outside of school. I never got to join much b/c I was scared my dad would say now, and even when I was in choir he told me to quit b/c of the 1 time he had to drop me off at school for a musical. Because of how sensitive I was, I cried that evening and my mom made it ok afterward. I'll make sure Nick will never feel like that.
My sister started school too. Her first day in a university. I am so proud of her, but I have to say I'm a little worried. Sometimes she doesn't pay attention, and I worry that she'll miss a test or a paper. Then I think of how we'll be sending Nick off to college also in 18 yrs. What school will he go to? Will he go on an academic scholarship or an athletic scholarship? What will he want to be? I don't really care as long as he's happy.

Screaming = Calm

Nick is beginning to through temper tantrums.  I've read that you can not spoil a child at this age, so what would this be called.  He will grab my phone, and if I try to take it away he'll begin screaming with no tears.  When he does do this I do not give in, and he gets louder and louder and he begins wiping his hand around.  Then what should I do?  For now I just pick him up to make him stop crying and once he's done, he'll continue to play with his toys. Sometimes I just roll my eyes and continue playing with Nick.
Other days, it's not so easy. It becomes difficult when I don't know what Nick wants.  He cries and won't stop. It's been about 7 months so I've been able to not stress out and deal. Other times when I am tired from work, I get home and he's upset, I try my hardest to keep from poking my eyes out.
I've always been a nervous person, so having a child has not made it easier. What it has done is help me control my nervous tendencies. With Nick, I've taken things as they come, not only with him, but with my entire life. There is no reason to get worked up over things; things have come up, and even though the solution doesn't come to me at the moment, I know that there is always a solution. I am calm, I don't think negative as I did before, and I know life continues.
Nick has made me a better person, and the wonderful smile makes everything so much better. Even when I want to poke my eye out.

Nick

I'm sure no one really know where Nick is in his milestones.
Marcus is still watching him during the day, so he's been keeping me posted with messages, pictures, and videos. It's definitely not the situation we'd like to be in, but my prayer was answered. Before I went back to work, I would prey that he would be taken care of by someone we'd be able to trust, some one responsible, and some one that we'd be able to afford. Of course, I never wanted to send Nick to daycare, and this is how God answered my prayer. Marcus has been the best "caretaker" for our son. It's been fabulous, but I think we're both ready for a great job he can go to every weekday.
Nick has not started to crawl yet. He loves to sit and play with his ball. He will hit it with his hands and feet. He scoots on his butt, and he goes in circles while on his belly.
The little man babbles a lot and bites his lower lip, just like my cousin. Oh yes, and the biggest thing lately is that that his bottom teeth are growing out. I can feel them every time he grabs my hand to bite at it.
He loves to eat really food. We make his babyfood by steaming, boiling, or baking all of his foods. Anything green is #1, peas and green beans. He eats his oatmeal cereal like a champ. The one thing we're having a hard time with are fruits. He doesn't seem to really like them. Sweet potatoes he's good with (not a veggie, but sweet), apple's he's finally starting to like if we mix with cereal, and bananas are only good for a few spoon fulls. Of course, I'm happy he loves veggies, but I want him to love fruit too. We're gettin' there, I guess.
We know he's definitely ours b/c he loves music. I sing to him and he smiles, I dance with him and he bob's up and down, and he falls asleep with whatever is playing on his iPod. That could be Motown, Disney, Dean Martin, or Cri Cri (kids music in Spanish). I need to update his library though, and I've been thinking of taking him to Kindermusik; hopefully, we'll be able to go next semester.
Everyday I see how he represents his mommy and daddy, but he is still his own person. Wow!

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Thoughts that I can't say out loud and have been eating me up

I've been doing P90X for 12 days already. I've lost 5 lbs as of Saturday, so it's working. I can tell in my tummy and my butt that things are "looking up." Although I am succeeding, I'm a little bothered. Before I began people were saying, "You have to have had some kind of workout routine before starting; maybe b/c it's geared towards men." I've had others say, "I know people that have done this and it didn't deliver." Of course I did hear positive things, but it made me think that maybe it'll be too tough and I won't last. Now that I've been doing it for 12 days and see no signs of stopping or skipping days, I can say, those people are just lazy and still don't know that it takes hard work and dedication to succeed at anything, including P90X. I haven't truly exercised since before pregnancy, which was more than a year ago, and I'm doing great. Marcus also started and is now on day 3.

Another thing that I'm tired of are people that say that their diets aren't working. The reason you people are gaining weight is because your eating too much crap. You won't loose weight eating small amounts of crap one day to save up the calories to eat large amount of crap over the weekend. Don't you see that you can eat more if you eat things that have less calories like fruits and vegetables, and yes, good carbs. Good carbs like whole grain and whole wheat keep you full longer; not those stupid white bread hot dog or hamburger buns. A big ass colorful salad with ranch dressing is still better than a small order of fries from a fast food restaurant. Look at what your eating; don't you think that affects how you feel and perform throughout the day. No, I'm not perfect, but I don't complain if I don't get results either. Plus, cooking at home with Marcus has definitely kept me from straying and looking for nuggets or fries.

Another thing that has been killing me lately are people that are inconsiderate. Of course, your world revolves around you, but I still have to live in the world that you created for yourself. I do not like asking anyone for anything. If I ask for something it's because only I can't go any further on my own. Don't forget about me because I hate asking 2 or 3 X if it's been done. I'm glad I don't ask for things at the last minute b/c I'd miss a lot of opportunities. Also, when the people I ask fall short and don't tell me, don't you think it's a huge disappointment when I find out down the road that something was not done at all or just half ass.
I think I'm done saying what I've been wanting to tell a lot of people for a while.

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He must be a Haynes if he likes cars

When I met Marcus I knew he was into cars.  While dating we went to car shows, looked at cars online, and sometimes watched races on TV.  I used to roll my eyes and say, "It's a good hobby, I guess."  Now, I like cars too, and I've learned a lot talking to Marcus and watching documentaries with Marcus.  We watch car races together, and today we watched the F1 race. Guess what, Nick was watching too.  His eyes were glued to the TV.  He was taken in by the cars and the sound. As soon as the commercials came on my baby was back to playing with his toy. He heard the cars, and back to my zombie baby.  I guess that makes him nothing more than his father's son.  I love my husband, my son, and their hobby.

Last week marked 6 months.  I can't believe how time has passed.  Nicholas is growing so fast. Last week, he barely was able to balance to sit up, now he does it so well and tries too look behind him.  He also reaches for things, and almost falls over b/c he is so determined to grab his ball or duck.
Also, at 6 months I have lost all my baby weight plus a few more lbs. Actually, I lost it all in about 4 months. Now I need to get my flabby butt nice and perky. The other day I heard a woman say that she was complemented by her husband, and he said her butt was looking smaller. If Marcus would have said that, I would have been so mad. There is nothing worse that having a small butt. Even though my butt isn't in shape, it jeans and heels still do the job.  So my point.....I am going to start a new exercise program.  The key is to stick to it.  I'm sure you've all seen the infomercial to the P90X.  No matter what happens, I will post my results.  Good or bad.

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Happy Father's Day!

I say it and it actually means something.
My honey bunny has been a great dad for the last 5 months of our child's life. Even though Marcus lost his job 2 months ago, I know he has gained so much more with Nicholas. He wouldn't have gotten this time to share with his son otherwise. I love him and the great job that he is doing with our Little Man. Happy Father's Day, Honey!
My sister and I had the same dad, but at the same time he was a completely different dad to her than he was to me. I loved spending time with him, he always took me to the park, and he taught me how to cook. With my sister he did none of that, and I am so sorry that we had such different experiences (maybe because we're 8 years apart). He didn't care for Father's Day during our time because everyday was a great day for us, but during my sister's time, I don't think he cared one way or another. I'm sure it was the alcohol that took over, but how can some one change so much. This is the fourth Father's Day that we don't speak, and I think he is happier this way. I pray for him every day and hope that he will make a change. I'll be waiting. Happy Father's Day, Papi!

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The last few days

My 1st Mother's Day was so great. I loved spending the morning with my mom and mother-in-law. I went to church with my mom and sister, came home and had brunch. Brunch included a fritatta, sausage pinwheels, cinnamon rolls, bacon, fruit salad, and pigs in a blanket. The best part was the sangria; it was so tasty, and I will definitely make it again. Moms took pictures with there kids which included pictures of me with Nicholas. I wish I had gone first with him so I could have gotten a good picture with him. This is our 1st mother's day photo. :(
Nicholas didn't want to nap the entire morning, so once everyone left, he napped for 4 hrs. Of course I took advantage of this and napped for 3 hrs myself. It was amazing, but I should have taken out my contacts first.

So Nick has started to do this new squealing scream. It's soooo funny b/c he'll do it when he's talking to me or daddy or to his animals. Then he'll do it when he's getting upset. He won't babble normal now. We laugh every time whether he's happy, sad, or mad. I kind of feel bad b/c I'm laughing while he's crying. Oh well!
As far as lifting his head, he still won't, but we think he'll be flipping sometime soon. The last few days he's been turning on his side from being on his back. We just watch and laugh him do this b/c every time he moves his legs, he moves over. He just moves in a circle to where he finally gets to where his feet are where his head was and his head is where his feet were. So funny, and he has so much fun.

Oh the poop and vomit

I never thought that poop and vomit wouldn't bother me.
I've changed other diapers, and even going into a public bathroom after someone just let one go stinks. Really stinks! Some how, Nick's poop doesn't bother me, at least for the most part. We've definitely had our laughs; one night Marcus goes to change him and Nick wasn't done using the bathroom. Of course, his legs are up and it was a total projectile. Thank goodness, he was up far enough on the changing table that it didn't make it to the floor or his shirt. It was the funniest thing ever. Yes, we always have those moments when he goes so much that it comes out of his diaper, but it really doesn't bother me.  I have to day Monday's, was pretty bad, he leaked on me and the carpet...yuck!
Also, Nick has reflux, and he has his days when it gets gross, but I just clean it up and go about our business. He's vomited on my shirt, out his nose, on his toys, and on my boob while feeding him. For me it's not a big deal.
What is it about our own children that makes us not care?

Now that my sister is graduating high school I'm thinking that I already have some really good stories to tell for when he's older. When my mom would tell these stories, I never knew why she would pick the most embarrassing ones. Now, I know...even though they are embarrassing as a child, as a parent they are great memories that you want to keep reliving. Good or bad, as a parent, it's the cutest thing that ever happened with your child or to your child. Yesterday, I found myself getting misty-eyed b/c I was folding his clean clothes and had a newborn onsie that I know will never fit him again. He's only 3 months old, but it already feels like he's growing too fast. I guess it just goes by faster. We'll keep taking pictures and video taping since he can't be this small forever.

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12 wks or 3 mo

Nick just surpassed the 12 week mark last Wednesday and will officially be 3 months old on Tuesday, the 20th. He is growing so fast; it's unbelievable. How is it that we're already seeing characteristics that come from me or his daddy? He's just as talkative and dramatic as me, and so restless and intense as Marcus. He watches basketball and car racing with such interest; it's so cute seeing a son (so young already) and his father enjoying sports. Of course, he can't watch too long because he gets bored quick. This isn't only watching sports, but with playing, sitting, talking, singing, just about anything and everything you can think of to entertain. I can just imagine when he gets old enough to walk and begin doing things for himself; my goodness, the tornado that will be going through this house.
Even though he is getting so smart, and learning so much, there is something that is driving me nuts. We put Nicholas down for tummy time, and he goes crazing with the screaming. I know he needs the time to lift his head, push of his hands, and eventually crawl, but it is so unproductive to leave him on the floor for more than 2 minutes. What do I do? He sits up, and his head isn't wobbly, but he refuses to do anything while lying on his stomach. Will he ever learn how to flip or crawl?

I've Won the Lottery

Well, kind of.
All day I've been thinking of what I would do if I won the lotto. Of course, it's hard to win if you don't play. I don't think I would stop working; I would probably be a stay at home mom until Nick starts school, then would get back to a career. Of course paying off debt is number 1 and helping our parents and grandparents. Everyone likes to get what they want, so I think I would like a custom 5 bedroom house, with a gourmet kitchen and a nice Acura parked in front. Maybe I'll upgrade to a Mercedes. Traveling is a must. And Nicholas would have a collage fund so he won't have crazy collage loans like his mommy and daddy. Ahhh, dreaming is always so great.
The lotto I won is not monetary. I have a supportive husband, and a handsome, healthy son. I never imagined that I would be as happy as I am at this moment. Even though I'm tired all the time, Marcus and Nicholas keep me on my toes. The laughs that never end, the questions that make us think, and all the fun we have together. We've been married for almost 18 months and have a 11 week old baby. I look forward to the adventurous years that are coming.
Bring it on, life!

Visit my blog The Haynes Life

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy

The Easter Holiday has really made me look at how blessed we are.
My baby is amazing; he is learning so quickly. Cooing at the silliest things, learning to lift his head while doing less of the crying, smiling at everything and almost laughing.
I am lucky to have a job where I can work for 5 hrs and go home to my baby at 2 or 3 in the afternoon. My job isn't so demanding to where I have to stay late in the crazy Galleria area til 7 or 8 at night or take my work home. The work is also not as bad as I made it out to be. I've realized that I still like what I do, I think I was missing staying home and not in the groove yet. I really got into it today, and it's good. I think I need to think of ways to improve on what I do and eventually when raises come back I will get a good one. I can wait to find a job if I need to later; either way, it's too much to find a secure job in this economy. It is improving, but risk is not an option at this moment.
Even though I have yet to begin an exercise routine, my skin is looking better. I have been using the Palmer's brand oil for dry and itchy skin. I was using it before on my nips when I was prego, and now I am using it on my stretch mark and they're getting less noticeable. I asked Marcus after a week, and he says they're not as gross looking. I also love spending all my time playing with Nicholas instead of exercising. He's always happy, and when he starts crying it's a sense of accomplishment when I find something that makes him smile again. You can never be bored with your own child, and you don't know this until you actually have one. Or at least I didn't.
Life is good....for now.

Visit my blog The Haynes Life

A Little of Everything

Today was the end of my first work week..kind of. I still need to put in a couple of hrs tomorrow, but they'll be from home. After 4 days, I see the only thing that's changed are the 4 new people that have taken the place of 2 people that left; it's the same ol' job, the same ol' tasks. I don't know what I was expecting. Oh well...for now. I need to make changes, but we'll see what that will be in the next couple of months.
It was also my first time getting on the freeway with a ton of other drivers, and I have to rant a little. It's unreal how many people don't use there signals; come on, let me know that your getting in before i almost hit you. Even though I keep plenty of room to let a car in, it still scares the crap out of me when they get in so ridiculously close to me with no signal. I had to slam on my breaks at least once every day this week.
I know that taking care of a baby is a full time job, but why do I feel bad that Marcus is doing the cooking and cleaning everyday? It's not like I don't want to help, but I can't do anything when the baby gets hungry when it's time to cook then gets hungry and sleepy when it's time to clean up. Is it still ok to rest when the baby is sleeping, or am I just being lazy? Am I going to be tired all the time until my son graduates from collage? Because if that's the case, I might as well skip the rest time and work through the tiredness to clean and organize.
I'm guessing by the responses most of the people that read this are women so I will say...I forgot how much I hate being on my period. Ugh! I am not one of the fortunate that doesn't get a period just because I'm breastfeeding, although I was hopeful. (For those who don't have kids yet, just b/c you don't have your monthly visitor doesn't mean you still won't get pregnant.) I forgot about the cramping and the bloated feeling. I guess I'll just deal just like before. This reminds me, I plan to read Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation by Elissa Stein and Susan Kim. It has some crazy facts like where the word hysterectomy came from.
I figured out that my blog can be posted on facebook, which is great because a lot more people read it...I think. The only problem is that my posts are part of my blog, not just notes. If you would like to be a follower please visit www.hayneslife.blogspot.com, plus it's much prettier.

Today, I work...kind of...

Today was my first day back at work, away from my baby, and with other adults. It was actually better than I thought. Five hours actually goes by pretty quickly; maybe b/c everyone was coming up to me and saying, "You're back," "You look great," "How's the baby," and "How's Marcus," which turned into a long conversation every time. The last hour, I was counting the minutes; I was actually working, so I don't know if that is what it will be like from now on.
I wondered what I looked like in the eyes of others, and now I know. Everyone told me that I looked great and it doesn't even look like I had a baby. The truth is I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight, but underneath all the clothes, it looks nothing like it did 11 months ago. Flab and stretch marks everywhere. I can only think of what I look like naked, and it's not pretty. Nothing is the same. Oy! Nothing!
On another note, Nick stayed home with daddy today, and Marcus said that he cried most of the time. I guess he really missed me. Of course, when I got home, there was no sign of the crying. Nick was gabbing on and on and smiling as usual. Marcus did not want to attempt bath time, but I'm sure he would have had an easier time if he had. Nick loves bath time and is calm after that and feeding time. Oh well, I guess Marcus isn't comfy with it yet; that's ok. I love bath time. Marcus did a great job for the 1st day, and it's great that they get guy time when a lot of dads don't have this opportunity. It also gives me a month to look for a nanny.
If anyone knows of an unemployed nanny in my area, let me know, please.

It Just Got a Little More Complicated

So, Marcus got laid off, and has 4 weeks left at work. What does this mean for our family? It's actually a mixed blessing.
This still hasn't changed my decission to return to work part-time, at least for now. Marcus will be staying with Nick for the 5 or 6 hrs I'll be working, my mom will be available if reinforcement is needed, and we will be saving the money we have in savings, if we need it later, instead of using it on a nanny. The great thing is that Nick has a good set schedule for the day time...
9AM Feeding
915 to 11AM Play time and Swing time
1130 Bath
12PM Feeding
1215 to 4ish Nap time
I should be home by the time he's waking up, and daddy and baby spend some good time together. Easy enough, right? I guess we'll see next week.

Even though it's a bad time to be laid off, we had already discussed our personal, financial, and professional goals. This has forced us to take action instead of continuing to talk about it. Even though it's Marcus' job I say "us" b/c we are partners and this affects me as much as him.

Even though I'm keeping positive, it still angers me. What is it with large companies these days. They expect for employees to be loyal, yet there is no loyalty from them. Marcus' job was moved to Taiwan, probably b/c it's cheaper for them, but what about the people? Americans need jobs too, and just b/c it's cheaper to send a Taiwanese to China doesn't mean that it's cheaper for that person either. They have to pay taxes if they're there for more than 90 days too. I know HP isn't paying for that. To quote Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail when they say, "don't take it personal"; "That just means it's not personal to you, but it's personal to me."

Last Week of Leave

I go back to work next Monday. It's been tough at times, but over all enjoyable spending time with my son. This week my plan is to at least get into a morning routine by waking up at the time I would when I return to work, feeding the baby, getting in the shower and eating breakfast. I forgot what it was like to wake up at 5 in the morning and staying up. I'm already tired, so I plan to nap at midday when Nick is napping. I know I won't be able to do this when I get back to work, but I may just go to my car during my lunch hour and get 15 or 20 minutes in.

Marcus and I decided that we will walk in the evenings, probably after dinner. It's crumby that tv determines our schedule. We have decided that tv will not run our lives, and besides, that's what the dvr is for. Anything at 7, which is about 2 programs during the week, will be put to record and we will be heading out to walk and exercise. At this time a gym membership is not in our budget, but we have exercise balls and tennis shoes. I'm thinking of buying a dvd or 2 and resistance bands. I'll let you know about our progress.

I miss it :(

I realize now how great it was being prego. My skin looked great, my butt looked plump, and my stomach looked cute. Now my acne is coming back after my skin was flawless during pregnancy. I guess b/c my body was so distorted from the pregnancy, my butt was perky; now, it's wide and sagging. I had a nice round belly, and now the stretch marks look awful and my stomach is flabby.
After growing a baby for 9 months, there are so many things you adjust to, and once the baby is gone,everyting is gone in an instant. There is no gradual adjustment to not being prego any more. I was upset and still trying to get used to it. This and having to care for another human is overwhelming.
Nicholas, for the most part, is a great baby. He is so cute. I enjoy giving him a bath, changing his diapers and feeding him. I love talking to him while he makes all kinds of noises as if trying to respond. The crying is not fun. I think we started picking him up a little to much, b/c now he cries every time he wants attention. Everyone says you shouldn't pick up the baby b/c he'll only get used to being carried; yet, every time some one comes over all they want to do is hold him and cradle him. So how does this make any since? Either way, I don't pick him up too much during the day. And I want everyone to enjoy him.

Ten days later

It's amazing, satisfying, joyful, and so hard!
Nicholas is such a good baby. He doesn't cry much. Of course, he cry's when he's hungry, has a wet diaper, or is bored and wants attention. This is not all the time though. I know every mom and dad says this, but he is the cutest baby I have ever seen. As cute as he is, he still needs me and his daddy all the time.
Even though I've gotten used to breastfeeding, it is so painful. I've cried a few time already, but now that I've started pumping, I think it'll get easier. I had a hard time breastfeeding at first b/c every book and every person will say how to do it, but I still wasn't sure if I was doing it right. Once the baby is on your boob it's hard to adjust anything b/c every move you make hurts, and every feeding hurts more and more. Now that I'm pumping, I can sub one or two feedings with a bottle, and the next time takes to the boob it's not as painful. As much as it hurts, I still find joy in knowing that my baby is eating well.
Diaper changing has become a real event. Especially with a boy b/c you never know if he's gonna give you a little surprise while changing him. I've gotten used to watching his little pee-pee while wiping, but Marcus still gets caught off guard. Sometimes Nicholas will begin peeing all over the changing table or his outfit and now the diaper changing becomes a wardrobe change. He's done this a few time already, and it never stops being funny.
They say that all newborns do is eat sleep and poop, which is some what right. After ten days, Nicholas will stay awake for 30 minutes in the morning and early evening. This is always a great time to talk to him, and even though I don't think he understands yet, he will look at me or Marcus as if he wants to understand.
Taking care of baby is a lot of work, when the doctor says, "Do nothing, but take care of baby for 2 weeks," it's hard to imagine, but it's tiring trying to do anything else. Just cutting veggies for dinner and loading the washer is enough to need a nap afterward. I'm so glad I have a great husband that has taken over the entire house, a mother-in-law that comes to visit and help, and a mom that knows me so well and helps me when I need it.

He's here

Well, I was planning to post something earlier this week, but Nicholas finally decided to make his debut on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 9:22 PM. Here's our story:
TUESDAY
I woke up feeling like crap. There was something different about my body that did not feel good. I had my 39 week appointment and was miserable. Marcus walked into the waiting room and I start crying because I wanted it to be over with already. My entire appointment consisted of me crying and everyone reassuring me that it wouldn't be long. The doc scraped my membrane which most of the time helps speed things up.
I went on with my day with nothing happening. I figured that it didn't work until 9:00PM...I began feeling some contractions, but I waited to see how long it would last as I had already gone through the same feelings the week before for a about 3 hrs. The contractions lasted through the night and were inconsistent.
WEDNESDAY
I hadn't slept all night and decided that I was not going to work b/c the contractions had not gone away and I figured they would continue. So I guess I knew we would be going to the hospital sometime today. As long as the water doesn't break (water breaks on its own only 15% of the time) I would have to wait at home until my contractions were 3 to 5 minutes apart. By 8AM they were at 11 minutes.
I called my mom to tell her we were home and she suggested to take a walk around the neighborhood to help speed things up. We went out and even though it was 15 minutes, I was tired and ended up taking a nap. I thought I had peed a little when I moved. I went to the restroom and more liquid came. My underwear was soked and I yelled at Marcus', "I think we need to go to the hospital b/c I'm sure my water broke." I changed my underwear, got a towel and off we went. By the time we got to the hospital at 11AM my pants were soaked to below my knees.
I was admitted, my contractions were about 4 minutes apart and strong, and I was dilated to 4 cm. I was not progressing enough and the nurse gave me Pitosine (makes contractions more intense) around 5 which made me get to 6 cm. I couldn't stand it anymore and got an Epidural after a short while. The pain before this hurt so much; I never imagined it would be so painful. I though I would be ready for this, but that is something that I was never prepared for. After the Epidural the only thing I felt was pressure which is the same feeling you get when you've been constipated and can finally poop.
The nurse checks me at 830PM and I am at 10cm. She calls the doctor, and waiting for her to come, they prepare the room and me for delivery. Dr, Luethcke gets there at 9PM and I start pushing. My mom counted the number of contractions it took for me to push the baby out...6...only 17 minutes after we started. I was so scared to push, I began wrong. the doctor told me to push from my abdomen and to not make any sound when pushing. The best part was that I could feel everything without the pain. I felt the baby's head pop first. Then I had to wait and push the rest of the baby's body. I was so glad it was over and my baby boy was finally here.

My Favorite

The Family

I'm back

Marcus has been out of town for a week and a half so I was staying at my mom's and I wasn't able to update my blog. I forgot what it was like to be "the girls." My mom's going to be an awesome grandmother and my sister is going to be the typical younger aunt. My kid's going to be so spoiled.
We are rushing to hurry and get everything ready b/c this baby's going to come any day. I know I have 13 days left until my due date, but I think he's gonna bust out of jail early. My mom finished the mural, I washed clothes and finally put all the gifts away, we've thrown away all the boxes all that stuff came into, and little by little the house is getting cleaned. Marcus still needs to put up the ceiling fan, put in the car seats, put in the bathroom cabinet... a ton manly things to do. I need to finally finish the thank you cards, buy the remaining baby stuff, clean house, and push this baby out when the time comes.
All the signs are pointing to go go go. I feel sleepy tired, but at the same time I feel like I have so much energy. Contractions are starting, but they don't stick and they're too far apart to be anything significant. I've definitely dropped; if I drop anymore the baby will just fall out. I haven't gained any wait since my last appointment; I think I actually lost 1/2 a lb, and I've been going crazy with the food.
I guess I'm going to have to start doing all those silly home remedies. And have Marcus help me with a few of them ...

Goodbye 2009

What a year? Newlyweds, homeowners, and...parents?
When we set our New Year's resolutions last year, it was the usual; get in shape, pay off debt, save money for a house, blah blah blah. We never anticipated the life changing events 2009 would bring us.
We began the year paying some credit cards, paying more than just the minimum on credit cards. There was money starting to accumulate in our savings, including the tax return from 2008. The $8,000 stimulus came a long and instead of waiting for the end of the year to find a house, we decided to look and get the first house we looked into in April.
As we were getting ready to move into our new home Marcus' car floods in rain that no one saw coming for Jersey Village (the rest of the city, a tiny bit of raining). So, now a new car. A car that we could afford, was 2 years old, was on Marcus' list of dream cars, and we knew would take more to maintain than a non-sports car. We were fine; the monthly payments were even less than the other car.
Probably about a month after moving in and getting a new car, we find out we're having a baby. We never planned to get pregnant, and at first there was worry and anxiety. What would we do with a child when we don't have any saving b/c we used it for the down payment, the stimulus money would be used for furniture we really, really needed, and even though we had money left at the end of the money we knew it would be used on household items? Lawn mower, vacuum, fixing the a/c unit, any other things that came up as home owners, and now medical bills.
At least we had 8 more months to get used to the idea and adjust to having a little one to take care of.
Meanwhile, no stimulus money until mid-September b/c of the dumb post office. Oy, the government has red tape. No savings being accumulated b/c it's being spent on the house and on me. Insurance is crap once you actually use it and find out that even though you make monthly payments that end up being around $3,000 by the end of the year, there is still a $1,000 copay for 2, you still have to pay 20% of all the crazy blood work you get when you're pregnant, and 10% of any other procedures that insurance partially covers. A lot of talks of how our future will change with a baby coming. Through the year we talked a lot of speeding up our professional goals, decided on how we would raise our child since we come from different cultures and were raised differently (not too different; thank goodness), and adjusting our budget.
Now we are a little less overwhelmed with the idea being homeowners and becoming parents. Since we married at the end of 2008, we've also had to adjust to married life, and this has been difficult but wonderful.
I love my husband, I love my baby, I love my life, and I love where our future is going.