Desperate Housemommy

Voting Help

2008-01-26T14:35:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you, but I need a bit of help and info about the upcoming election and this site really helped me figure out where I stand. Republican or Democrat, please go here and take this quiz and read the info if you are at all unclear where you stand. Naturally, I hope it ends up my way, but even if not, at least it will not be the result of people voting the party line or just for the sake of voting. Thanks!!

http://glassbooth.org

In a box...

2008-01-22T13:19:00.000-05:00

Cam is out of town in Atlanta and I was home all day with the kids because I couldn't think of anywhere to go. I was feeling boxed in and Hailey decided to do a little performance art to express her mother's inner torment.

I swear she did it to herself and though it is a bit mean to take a picture, she didn't seem to mind. She also has underwear on, and prefers to only run around the house like this. It takes way too much energy to chase her around the house and force her clothes back on her after every potty stop, so usually I just let her win this battle. My mom is appalled by it every time she stops by, and you would think after 2 years of Hailey's nudity she would no longer be shocked, but maybe she is just trying to not-so-subltey hint that I need to put some clothes on her granddaughter. Well, that is about the most exciting thing that has happened around here, so I going to do some laundry! whoppee!

Princess Tea Party

2008-01-10T20:07:00.000-05:00

Last weekend Hailey was invited to a Princess Birthday Tea party and though it was WAY above my budget, and not quite my style, I took pics because it was pretty and very fancy :)

This is Hailey very unhappy because I am forcing her to stand in one place to take her picture in her party dress. She preferred to spin, and really, can you blame her? Spinning is what makes dresses like this fun.

(RtoL)Hailey, Caroline, Sarah (birthday girl) and Ava at the party. It was girls only, no boys allowed! (Ava's daddy actually came, but he is like SUPERDAD, so it was OK)

Hailey and Sarah were big fans of the cookie tray, but they still left room for....

Tea! That's right! Three-year-old girls sat at a tiny table and drank decaffeinated (I asked) raspberry tea out of tiny tea cups and ate grilled cheese and pb&j sandwiches cut into hearts. It was very cutesy!

And finally, the cake, which I know is fancier than my wedding cake. All of this was edible, and it was even more fabulous in person.

So, that was mine and Hailey's foray into the world of high class tea parties. It was fun and very pretty, but don't be expecting Hailey's 3rd birthday to be anything like this. Those of you in the area, I hope you liked the SC Rec Center because it is lookin' darn good to my middle class self :)

Binky Fairy

2008-01-08T20:23:00.000-05:00

Last week our home was visited by the Binky Fairy and she was nice enough to bring Hailey the camera that she has wanted for a LONG time.
Monday of last week she told me that the Binky Fairy was coming that night and was going to bring her camera. We had discussed that soon this would be happening, but since she was so insistent that it be that night, I said OK and figured I had better seize the moment. Of course, I didn't have the camera, and I had to call Cameron and tell him to pick up one on the way home. He got this one...

It is a piece of S**T!! Do not ever buy the Crayola camera!!! It broke within a day, so the Binky Fairy (me) had to scour Target, Walmart, and Kmart to find this one...

It is wonderful and I highly recommend it. It was a bit pricier, but worth it. We explained to Hailey that Mommy called the Binky Fairy and informed her of the broken camera and it was replaced while she was sleeping. This is Hailey reading the instructions to her new "Big Girl" present.

By the way, she only cried a little bit the first night and after she realized that she was actually going to get a camera, she hasn't cared about binks for one second and will proudly proclaim to anyone who asks (or doesn't) "I got a camera! The Binky Fairy brought me that! I am a big girl!" I am so proud and sad. I will miss my baby Hailey. Next step the big girl bed, and that will be in April, so at least I have some time to recover.

PS Happy Birthday Jonathan's Mommy!!!!!!! Twelve years ago you invited me to a birthday party and ever since I have been blessed to have first you, then Bryan and finally Jonathan as part of my life. I love you!!!!!!!!!! Wish her a Happy Birthday, because this is a big one ;)

Snow Day!

2008-01-07T20:23:00.000-05:00

I know it has been awhile, but the holiday's took me over and now I am back! :) Wednesday we had some snow and I took the kids out on the porch for about a half an hour (it was super cold) and got some pics for Max's first snow day.

He loved it, can you tell....

Hailey riding her sled on the flat porch. It wasn't very satisfying, so maybe next year we can go sledding for real.

This is my attempt to get them both to sit still for a picture. Hailey won't look at the camera, but Max is pretty good.

I did get them both on the sled. They were actually fighting over it, and this was a compromise (it worked for exactly 2.3 seconds)

We also went into the front yard and made a 6 inch snow man, but he fell apart before I could take a pic. I find it crazy that this was less than a week ago, and today we went to the park because it was 70. Gotta love global warming!

Max's Birthday

2007-12-09T12:38:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe that it has been over a year since I gave birth to the sweetest, most huggable boy I could have imagined. The year has been a crazy one and one of the most challenging I have ever faced, but I can't imagined how I ever survived without Maxie and I am looking forward to another year of being a mommy times two.

In honor of my Max-asarous, here are twelve reasons to love him:
1)He is really so huggable. He loves to bury his face in my neck and squeeze and it is the one thing that is sure to turn my frown immediately upside down.
2)He eats anything! Hailey was always super picky, but Max asked for table food at 11 months and hasn't turned down much since.
3)His nose scrunching snort face (see past blog video) is still the funniest thing I have ever seen. He only does it occasionally now, but when he busts it out I am immediately laughing.
4)Max is so sociable and will let anyone hold him. I am his favorite, but he is willing to give anyone a try :)
5)He gave up his bottles with no problem, after I stressed out about the transition for months!
6)He loves Hailey even though she isn't good at sharing and tends to be grabby with toys. He knows she is just trying to toughen him up :)
7)His favorite game is currently run away from Mommy, which is no fun for me but has provided hours of amusement for others.
8)He has a solid little soul. He never seems frantic or in a hurry, which is a nice contrast to his sister who never walks and literally bounces from place to place. Like her mother, Hailey is incapable of sitting still, but Max is our little rock.
9)He said momma before Da Da :) Hehe
10)He loves his riding toys, so I am sure he is going to be a cowboy when he grows up. His face is so cute when he rocks or bounces!
11)Though sweet and solid, he is no pushover. He puts up with Hailey's pushing and grabbing, but he has a limit and he fights back when necessary. Hailey is on borrowed time until Max catches up with her :)
12)And finally, because he is the best surprise I have ever had and my favorite little man in the world. I look into his sweet blue eyes and know how momma's boys are created and can't imagine how I ever let him grow up so fast. My baby is gone and toddler-hood is on the horizon. I miss my baby Max and I am going to have to figure out a way to stop calling him that!

Thank you Max, for putting up with me cranky and impatient and always giving me hugs when I ask.

MIA

2007-12-07T12:50:00.000-05:00

Well, I am back after another LONG absence and I can only say that I have been lazy and embarrassed, and that is why I haven't blogged. You know how procrastinators(such as me) will put something off and then we become embarrassed that it has been too long and then avoid even more than we were before, well that is what happened to my blog. I haven't had pictures and Cam's new job has been a difficult adjustment and my life hasn't been sparkly or fun very often and I hate writing yucky blogs. I will try harder, and I do have a new camera (thanks to a VERY generous influx of money from the inlaws :), so here is a little picture montage of the last month. :)

One of the first pics taken with the new camera of my mom and the kids. They love their Nauni!

Here is a picture of the kids cleaning. I am a slave driver! ;)

Our sad Charlie Brown tree. We are not a big Christmas decorating family, and this is our first year with a tree and kids, so I was just happy we got it up. I promise next year we will get a full size tree.

I will make a new post for Max's first birthday party and tell you all about it. Let me just say, it was not all I dreamed it would be and at least he won't remember it :)

The Fall Festival and purse crazy

2007-11-01T22:56:00.000-04:00

The Fall Festival was a bit crazy because Cam was late, so I had to figure out how to get through the line at dinner, find a highchair, get food to the table, and then feed them both, on my own, but Cam showed up in the nick of time and my sanity was saved. I ran off and manned the picture booth and bag decorating which wasn't too bad because I had a really good view of Cam chasing Hailey for an hour while balancing Max on one side. I will admit that I laughed a tiny bit when Hailey took off and Cam was chasing her with a very frustrated expression on his face. The little kids were all so cute and I enjoyed meowing at them in my costume, so we will be back next year.

I have had some requests for more info on my recent Coach purse obsession, so I will leave you with pics of my wish list.

1. The dream bag that is almost $600. I know I will never have it, but it is so pretty.

2.I love the animal print on this one, but it's still pretty pricey. This is the one that I originally fell in love with.

3.This one is really cute, too, and it would look very nice with the new church me. :)

4. And the final bag, which is cute, would be funtional and serve its purpose of making me happy without giving Cam a coronary because of the price tag, but would not send me into purse bliss as the others do. This is the one I will be getting for Christmas, and I am very happy :)

So that is my walk through the Coach purses I have fallen in love with through online shopping, hope you enjoyed it!

Trick or Treat!

2007-10-31T13:11:00.000-04:00

Last night we went to my mom's neighborhood and trick-or-treated and it was so much fun! Last year I was 8 months pregnant and Hailey was freaked out by the decorations, so I think we only went to 3 houses. That was a little disappointing because I love Halloween, but I probably couldn't have made it that far anyway. I was huge back then! I'll throw in a little picture of that just to spice up the blog :)

This year, Cam came and we made it about halfway down mom's street (a half an hour), so though I could have gone longer, it was fun and we all got some good loot. Hailey was an adorable fairy princess and Max was a dragon. Max is super cute because he is walking, but he has that Frankenstein walk, so it worked perfectly with his dragon costume. I dressed up as a cat (black shirt, jeans, tail, ears, drawn on whiskers and nose) and almost had to forfeit my costume to a fairy princess who fell in love (Hailey.) Luckily, she was distracted by candy and we continued trick-or-treating. Tonight our church is having its annual Fall Festival, so we all get to dress up again and play some games. It should be fun! Those of you who know me well will be amused by the fact that I was up until midnight last night making Mummy Cupcakes (chocolate cupcakes with white icing, gum tape and M&M eyes) for the cakewalk and have also been roped into working a booth at the festival. I feel much better about working the booth because it means Cam has to take the kids around (hee,hee), so I will have a full report tomorrow.

My camera is still broken, so my mom took pics last night and I may try to borrow it for tonight. I will post the pics as soon as I can :) I should be getting a new camera shortly, and Cam just got his new job assignment, so I may be getting that Coach purse after all ;) His new job includes another raise YEAH!! we desperately need it, but lots of travel BOO! Cam will be a member of the IT team that installs and teaches the inventory control system in all of the Napa distribution centers nationwide. He will fly to the DCs and be there for a week, and them home for a couple of days and then out again. I hate that he is going to be gone so much, but it is such a great opportunity for Cam to network and learn, that I couldn't let him pass it up. Plus, we get to stay here in Charleston for another 18 months, and I have a support system here that I wouldn't have if he was doing this somewhere else. Cam has been told that taking this job will help expedite his career track, so I am willing to take a couple for the team :) Don't think that I won't be asking for some help from others family that have been slacking off, though, and you friends out there might be seeing a little more of me once I become a Napa widow!

I'm BACK!

2007-10-26T22:21:00.000-04:00

Hi all! I know it has been a month since I posted, and I am OK. :) Things have been crazy and I have been lazy. Plus my camera broke and it took me awhile to get any pictures loaded into the computer. Santa will be bringing me a new camera for Christmas, so that is happy, but he will not be bringing me the pretty Coach purse that I picked out online (yes Jenn I have succumb to the branded purse monster, feel free to laugh and feel a tiny bit smug:). The reason he will not be bringing my purse is not because of the camera, but due to the speeding ticket I got on the way to preschool last week. Those of you who know about my bad luck with driving will not be surprised to hear that I also rear-ended someone, in my mom's car, on the same day as the ticket. I was convinced by the end of the day to curl up in a ball and just give up!

Other than that crazy day, things have been busy, but normal, and I love being busy, so I'm happy :) Max is walking everywhere and Hailey is potty trained completely. I am so glad that that is over and I am wondering if Max really ever needs to learn. I may just wait until he is around 4 because I just don't want to think about cleaning poo off the floor again any time soon.

Here are a couple pictures highlighting the last couple of weeks. Enjoy!

This is Max on his first swing ride on a visit to the park. Hailey hated the swings when she was his age, but he seemed to really like it.

I also took a group pic of the three of us and I was surprised that it turned out pretty good.

Hailey and Jonathan at the Pumpkin Festival. Hailey is just chillin' on her pumpkin and Jonathan is showing his some love.

My sister-in-law came to visit and we took her and my nephew to the Clay Center. Hailey, my MIL, and Wesely loved playing with the sand and water. Can you tell my MIL hates to have her picture taken :)

Last Saturday was Spooktacular at the Clay Center, so we took the kids and it was fun. I think they will have more fun next year when Max can get out of he stroller, but he looked pretty cute as a dragon, and he stayed smiley most of the morning.

Hailey enjoyed decorating her treat bag with Cam, so I would call it a success.

On Sunday we went to the Milton corn maze with our Sunday school class. It was fun and the kids did great, so I was pleasently surprised. The first couple clues are really hard to find, but keep going because it gets a lot easier. Hailey liked the baby pools full of corn better than the maze itself. Maybe we should get one for the porch?

So that is my month in mini-pic review. I will try to post more often, and hopefully none of you gave up on me and stopped reading my blog!

Hailey's Anatomy Lesson

2007-09-27T14:11:00.000-04:00

Jonathan's mommy has inspired me to blog about something funny that happened the other night in the bathtub. Hailey and Max bathe together every night and generally get along well. The other night Hailey was helping me wash Max's back because he is in that standing at all times phase, and she was naming his body parts. I was paying attention , but I was a little distracted because it had been ONE OF THOSE DAYS. You know.

"Washing Maxie's back"
Mmhmm
"Washing Maxie's shoulders"
Mmhmm
"Washing Maxie's belly and button"
MmHmm
"Washing Maxie's 'gina"
Mm...HUH!
"Mommy, Max's 'gina funny"
Yes, it is. Actually that is a penis. He is a boy, so he has a penis. You are girl, so yours is a vagina.
"Ok"

Back to washing her 'gina.

Now I don't know where you all fall on the proper names for private parts, but I have always heard that it is best to call them the correct name, so that is what I am doing. It, however, does not make it any less funny to hear a two-year-old say 'gina. She still refers to his boy parts as a 'gina, so I am waiting to hear its real name soon. I think it will be pretty funny!

New Links

2007-09-22T21:37:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to point out that I have added two buttons/links to my blog. Please click on the breast cancer one whenever you visit my blog (if you remember :), and check out the prostate cancer site if you have dads or grandfathers and urge them to have check-ups and have their PSA screenings and exams. My dad is a prostate cancer survivor and his life was literally saved by a coworker that forced him to take part in her wellness fair at their school. His PSA levels were high and that led to further tests which diagnosed him with prostate cancer. It was caught early and after a year of radiation and hormone therepy he has been in remission for 4 years. I thank God and my dad's coworker every day that it was found in time and treated so successfully. That is why I would love for you to click on this link and become educated for that special man in your life, and donate if the urge strikes you :)

Crafty, Crafty!

2007-09-18T13:22:00.000-04:00

I spent last night doing Hailey's "homework," an "All About Me" poster for preschool, and I just wanted to show everyone that I can be crafty despite the empty scrapbooks. :) I think I am going to tell her teachers that Hailey did it, though, because despite my best efforts it looks like the work of a preschooler. I have convinced myself that I meant to do that :)

My little Mary Lou Retton

2007-09-10T09:47:00.000-04:00

Hailey started gymnastics on Friday and she looked super cute in her new leotard. However, she was the only one in her class and she was crazy! She ran around bouncing from one piece of equipment to another and her teacher and I spent most of the time chasing her and trying to make her focus on one thing. I am not sure it would have been any better with more 2 year olds, but my goal was not one-on-one instruction, so this class may be short lived. I will keep you updated and would love anyone's input :)

This is Hailey yelling "Hello down there!" to her fellow gymnasts before class. One minute later, she fell while attempting to climb the padded bleachers and now has a rather impressive black eye.

Reprieve

2007-09-06T22:54:00.000-04:00

Well, Cam heard today that his first placement will be here in Charleston!!! YEAH!!! We get to stay here for another 6 months to a year (approx.), and then we will be moved somewhere else when a service manager job becomes available. I am happy because I really wanted to stick around for the holidays and I love Hailey's preschool, so I am very happy she gets to stay. Though this means we will have to eventually move, hopefully we will have more say in the placement, so I am still pushing for NC or Louisville :)

I will leave you with a pic of the kids in the bathtub last night because I know you are going through withdrawl :)

WVU Widow

2007-08-31T12:50:00.000-04:00

Well, Cam is headed to the game this weekend and had to leave tonight because driving cannot affect his tailgating tomorrow (God forbid), and I am officially declaring my status as a WVU widow :) I hope he enjoys the mini vacay, because I am not sure I can handle it every weekend. He deserves the break, though, so I am glad he got the opportunity.

Things have been a bit crazy in the Peterson household lately. Cam is finishing his training at work and could get a call any day and we would have to move in a matter of weeks. Napa has a great relocation program where they buy our house if it won't sell in 60 days, reimburse closing costs, provide money for alternate housing for 60 days, etc., which helps alleviate some of the stress. However, I enjoy being close to my mom and Cam's family, so I am not a huge fan of moving. Unfortunately, I can be a stay-at-home mom anywhere, so I don't have much say in the matter. There are a couple of places that would make moving suck less (Louisville, Charlotte, High Point, NC, Columbia), but others that make the idea REALLY scary (Syracuse, Miami, etc.), so I am chugging along every day trying to live in denial and not freak out until it happens. So far it has not worked so well, but I am trying to at least remain positive when I do obsess. I could get a new house with a great yard or I could move to a great city that just happens to be a stop on the next Jimmy Buffett tour :)

The kids are good, Hailey is going through a rebellious nap phase, but Max is napping great, so I guess I can't get them both great at the same time for any long length of time because that would be unfair. Hailey had her preschool orientation on Thursday and her new teachers were very nice and the room looked like so much fun. I am very excited that she will get to go every Tues and Thur morning, not just for me. I really think she is getting bored with me and needs better teaching than I can provide. I admire her teachers because I know I couldn't handle 8-10 2 year-olds for 4 hours every morning!

Just wanted to share!

2007-08-17T13:51:00.001-04:00

Cam's (my husband)sister is pregnant!!! No one that knows her reads this, so I just wanted to spread the good news that I am going to be a Auntie X 2 in North Carolina. I am so happy for her and glad that our kids are going to be close in age. I love Cam's sister tons and that makes it even better, because she is not only family, but a friend, and I think that is more important. In my life I have discovered that family is not a guarantee for strong bonds, but friends are what I value most. Some of my best friends are family (my mom, my sister), but some of my friends I love like family because they have been there when fam has not, so I value them over some of my crappy fam. That is just my experience, and I understand those who don't agree :) Have a great day bloggers and send healthy baby vibes to Fuquay Varina, NC for Cathie. Thanks!

I know you all wanna be me :)

2007-08-14T14:33:00.000-04:00

Just thought I would share a tiny bit of my day with you all in blog land...

I was feeding Max lunch today and Hailey was standing in front of the couch beside my knee. I felt her wipe something on my leg and and so I looked over at her and it and said "Is that poop?" "Yes." cute innocent face "WHY ARE YOU WIPING IT ON MY LEG! (this was the volume in my head, but I was fairly calm considering) Do you have to go potty?" (nod yes) "Then go!!" And she did in the potty. Thank you for allowing me to gross you out and enjoy your poo free legs.

Despite this, potty training is actually going very well. We are able to leave the house with panties on and for the last week diapers are only worn when sleeping. Yeah!

Snorty Face

2007-08-10T07:26:00.000-04:00

Max makes the funniest snorty face, and at random moments. It makes me laugh so hard! I took some video of it last night, so enjoy!

Go ahead, and tell me this isn't at least a little bit funny. I know I am biased, but it cracks me up!

Reunited, And it feels so good :)

2007-08-06T13:23:00.000-04:00

As you may have read on Jonathan's Mommy, Max and I went to Louisville this weekend and we had so much fun. Jennifer and I have been friends for 11 years and we have been through a lot of crazy, sad, fun, and very memorable things together. Over the last three years we have been so busy having babies and being mommies that we have not been able to find time to be just Jenn and Heather. That is why I am so glad that I headed west this weekend and had some much needed girl time! We talked until 3:30am, drank some beer, and just bonded all over again. So, though she has said that I helped her in dealing with her recent tragedy, she helped me feel like ME again for the first time in a long time. THANK YOU! The trip also helped me appreciate what I have because I missed my Hailey and my hubby :)

We only took a couple of pictures, so here are two of Jonathan mowing the grass Saturday (it was unbelievable hot).

Doesn't he look so serious! He did a great job :)

Max enjoyed being outside, but you can tell he was getting hot. We probably only stayed outside for about 20 minutes!

That's all for now, but let me just say that though I am saving a ton of money on diapers. holding Max over the potty everytime he has to go is kinda a pain :)
(read Jonathan's mommy for more info)

Still no pics :)

2007-07-30T22:32:00.000-04:00

I seriously need to start carrying my camera everywhere because I am just not taking picture as much as I should. This past weekend in Lexington went well. Hailey was crazy, as usual, and I think I heard my uncle talking about a straitjacket, but only one small thing was broken while Hailey was doing a Spidergirl impression on the side of the deck, so I count it a successful visit. Max was an angel, and could not get enough of my Dad's girlfriend Lisa. I believe she has gotten his seal of approval :), and mine because she offered to babysit! I actually liked her before, but I am never opposed to a bit of sucking up.
Max is crawling everywhere and pulling up on anything within reach, so I know my days of chasing only one are numbered. I am trying to enjoy the bliss of this stage as long as I can. It is crazy how fast they grow up. I know this topic is discussed at length, but I am just shocked at how fast the last 8 months have gone. I miss my tiny delicate infant, but I wouldn't give up the sweet, smiley little man I have now for anything. I guess it will always be this way until they are teenagers, and then we will give anything to have our babies back. Some days I would actually trade Hailey in one of her temper tantrums for Hailey at around 8 months :), but only sometimes. She is learning so much and doing something amazing every day, and when I am in a good mood, the temper tantrums can actually be kinda cute (rarely, but it does happen.) She balls her fists up, squints her eyes, and screams, which is funny when we are not in public or Max isn't screaming.
This weekend Max and I are going to visit Jonathan's mommy and Hailey is having a daddy's weekend. I fully expect her to be full of junk food and literally hanging from the ceiling when I return. I think I may have even heard Cam mention something about golfing. He slyly asked if I was taking both kids, when he has known for weeks that I am taking only Max. Good try, though :) Hailey loves her dad and Cam is great father, so I trust him, and I really think this time will be good for him. Her brain won't completely rot if she watches 16 hours straight of TV, right? I can undo that, can't I? They'll be fine......?

Been awhile!

2007-07-24T13:00:00.001-04:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that I have not disappeared. July has been a crazy busy month for me and, of course, I have forgotten my camera :) Things are good, kids are good and doing crazy stuff every day.

Hailey has finally figured out that she can easily get out of her crib, but it hasn't been too bad so far. I was hoping she could stay in there until middle school at least, but I guess not :) It usually takes only one warning and she will stay in, so I am trying to buy some more time until the big bed. It would involve switching the kids cribs and a some other issues, so I am hoping that she can last until we may/may not move in Sept.

Max is working on crawling, but he just can't seem to get the arms and legs moving in harmony. Hailey was almost walking by now, so a part of me is worried, but the other part is happy that he is still not mobile. He gets so frustrated, though, and it makes me sad to watch him try so very hard and not get anywhere.

We will be going out of town this weekend to see my cousin who teaches in a missionary school in Port a Prince, Haiti (we are going to KY), so I will try to remember the camera then :) Hope all you bloggers are doing great and are having a great summer with the kids!

Fuquay Varina #1

2007-07-12T13:19:00.000-04:00

These are some quick pics I took while visiting my sister-in-law. We had SO much fun and Hailey misses her cousin already.

Max and Hailey on the floor in the living room. Hailey is "cheesin'" for me.

Hailey in the little car in front of their house. They had a little decline in front and Hailey loved going down the "mountain"

Cousin Wesley. We have been told that Hailey and Wesley look like siblings and I think they do more so than Max and Hailey. He is so cute and much quieter than Hailey!

I will post more after Cathie sends me some on email.

Thank you Wendy!

2007-07-02T13:27:00.000-04:00

I have been woefully unable to come up with anything to blog about, and your meme gave me something, so THANKS! :)
Here are the rules:
- I have to post these rules before I give you the facts
- Each participant posts eight random facts about themselves
- Tagees should write a blogpost of eight random facts about themselves
- At the end of the post, eight more bloggers are tagged
- Go to their blog, leave a comment telling them they're tagged

1. I am a creature of habit. It makes me feel good to know what is coming and I am not good with surprises. I eat the same thing for breakfast every morning, my kids are super scheduled, and I plan my week in advance in my head. I drive my hubby nuts! :)

2. I can't smell. Yup! Never have and don't ever care to. I was born this way and it was very handy during the first trimester of pregnancy. My nose is cute but nonfunctional :) The pediatrician recently found this out and is now freaking out and wants me to write up an entire family history. Yawn.

3. I am currently committing to losing weight. We can't afford any diet programs or gyms, but I am going to do the best I can and hopefully I can lose a least a little bit, because I am starting to feel really crappy about the way I look.

4. I love animals and as a child I had almost every pet you can think of: cats, dogs, gerbils, mice, hamsters, pigs, snakes, lizards, spiders (not a fan, but I did have one), birds, and a prairie dog. We currently have two dogs and that is one too many for me.

5. I HATE to clean and secretly think that I was meant to be rich so I could hire someone to do it for me :)

6. I am having a HUGE party for my 30th birthday in 9 monthes and I am throwing it for myself! You are all invited :)

7. I miss my best friends and wish I could talk to them more!! Reading their blogs helps, but I miss their beautiful faces and the way that both of them can always make me laugh and know me in such different ways better than anyone. Therefore, I will attempt to force you both to spend more time with me, and you know I can be persistant :)

8. I am really scared about moving in September, and I still don't know if we will have to, or where we are going, but a tiny part of me is excited because new stuff can be better than old, and though I fear change, I am a fan of facing one's fears, so I know you all will wish me luck.

I hereby tag
1.Jenn
2.Andrea Twinmommy
3.Alicia
4.And everyone
5.Else has
6.been tagged
7. And I don't
8.Know anyone else :)

We are going to Fuquay Varina (fun to say), NC on Wednesday to visit my sister-in-law and will be gone until Monday, so I will take some pics and post them. Peace!

Dedicated to Jennifer and Andrea....

2007-06-16T13:40:00.000-04:00

I dedicate this blog to my blogger friends Jennifer and Andrea because my son is refusing to nurse and I have finally relented and am giving him formula. :) The dedication is because these two people dealt with me as the nursing freak who "encouraged" them to nurse their children, sure that you can power through and nurse if you really want to no matter what. I still believe that nursing is the best and the most natural choice, and when challenged by it, hard work will result in success, but I am now admitting that I am not a perfect earth mother and am not willing to stress myself out anymore about it.

Over the last month Max has not been nursing well at all. He is distracted easily and probably gets about 5 minutes total of sucking and none of it is vigorous. Every session seemed to be filled with me begging him to eat and worrying about Hailey because we had left her downstairs to find a distraction free zone. Nothing was working and though he didn't seem hungry, he was chowing down on solids. I know that he is supposed to still be getting the majority of his nutrition from his liquid diet, so I was worried. Monday I tested him by nursing and them offering him a bottle to see if he was still hungry after nursing. He sucked down 4 oz after I had nursed/wrestled with him for 30 minutes, and this convinced me that he is trying to wean. My books say that he is teething, and I would have told me a year ago to power through and he will pick it up again, but honestly, I am tired and I just don't have the energy or whatever it will take to make the effort. I have tried pumping, but making the time to do that is close to impossible, and honestly he doesn't seem to like breast milk in the bottle form. So, my two closest friends, feel free to laugh, tease me and feel smug. You have both earned it! :)

However, that doesn't mean the mommy guilt isn't in full force. Hailey got 13 months and Max will only get 6. I feel like he can add this to the long list of ways he gets the short end of me as the second child. Mommy was much perkier with Hailey and yelled less. Mommy spent hours talking to Hailey and playing one-on-one, and Max gets minutes and occasional half-hours when Hailey is sleeping. I realize, though, that Hailey is cheated too, so maybe it will all even out. After all, they have each other to talk about how crazy their mom is an how much I screwed them both up. I know this is just the beginning of the million ways I will be unfair, and it gives me a whole new perspective on the many times I felt cheated by my own parents by what they did for or gave my siblings.
So, Max this is for you, my baby boy. Know that I love you with all my heart and will do everything in my power to be the best mom possible and I love you every bit as much as I love Hailey, even if I could only breastfeed you for half the time! :)

Dinner Massacre

2007-06-15T12:29:00.000-04:00

Not much is going on with us Petersons, but dinner last night was an expression of Hailey's artistic instincts (which she gets from my sister, not me) and I took some pictures of her ketchup painting. It looks a bit bloody and was VERY messy. I thought, Kim is going to freak, as I was taking the pictures, so these are for you and Sophie :)

"Oh no! What did I do!"

This is after she rubbed her eyes. I felt bad for her, but was laughing too, I am so mean.

The beginning of the clean up. Needless to say, she went straight to the bathtub afterwards :)

Have a great day everyone and I will blog soon about a new delimma that I don't have time for at the moment (Hailey needs to be threatened to take a nap at the moment)

2 By 2

2007-06-13T12:25:00.000-04:00

Jenn has succeeded in getting me to blog :) Not much is going on in the Peterson world, but we will be busier soon, so maybe I will have fun pics then. I have also so recently become obsessed with the show "Brother and Sisters", so much of my free computer time is caught up in watching it online. Sad pathetic life, I know :) So, here is my two by two post!

Two Names You Go By:
1.Heather-I was born in 1978 also, but my mom thought she WAS being creative, just like the millions of other moms in the late 70's that named their girls Heather
2.Mommy-my fave even after the 5 millionth time

Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now
1.Pink PJ shirt
2.Blue Daisy DZ shorts from college

Two Things You Want in a Relationship
1.Humor-Cam is still the weirdest and funniest person I know
2.Fun

Two of Your Favorite Things to Do
1.Take the kids places with my mom
2.Hang out sans kids with girlfriends and catch up-the two may seem contradictory, but all moms will understand

Two Things You Want Very Badly at This Moment
1.Nissan Armada-Can you hear Cam laughing until he can't breathe, I can
2.new clothes!!!-nothing fits after two babies...I am too small and too big all at once...my body is just weird now

Two Pets You Have or Had
1.Daisy the wonder Siamese-i still miss her
2.Layla-my sweet lab who Cam and I got to teach us how to be parents and still loves us even though we keep bringing home kids...I promised her that I am done

Two People Who Will Fill This Out First
1.Andrea-because I am evil and can make her :)
2.Alicia-not really, but there is no one else

Two Things You Did Last Night
1.Watched B&S online (see beginning of post)
2.Ate apple pie that Cam made-yum!!

Name Two Chores That You Do Not Like
1.2, only two......wow......I could go on for days, but I will settle for putting away laundry
2. And vacuuming

Two Things You Ate Today
1.yogurt with granola-I eat it every morning for breakfast, I am a creature of habit
2.a cereal bar

Two People You Talked to Last
1.my MIL
2.Hailey

Two Things You are Doing Tomorrow
1.Going to the park
2.small grocery shopping-milk and a few other things

Two Favorite Holidays
1.Thanksgiving-I love the food!!! and Jenn comes to town :)
2.Christmas-I hate the exchanging of presents, but I love to see fam

Two Favorite Beverages
1. I gotta go with Jenn on the Margaritas and Buffett...my fave is drinking them out of paper McD's cups while tailgating for the concert...good times! Buffett in '08 BABY!
2.Sweet tea-I make the best :)

So, I will leave you with a pool pic of Hailey, because it is fun and I like pictures!

She is pouring water on her head, and I love her expression.

Family pool pic

2007-06-06T12:56:00.001-04:00

We have only been to the pool a couple of times and it is impossible to juggle/watch my two kids and take pictures, so this one is from Memorial Day weekend when my mom came with us and it's all you are getting for now. Cam has my camera in the Xterra because I hurt it (the xterra)this weekend and he is getting it fixed. Garage doors are mean and one tried to bite my car, that is all I will say. For those of you that know me well, it was only a matter of time before I injured this vehicle. I have been driving it since December, so this accident was due :)

Please ignore my fat legs :(, but other than that and Max not looking at the camera, not bad.

Hailey eating her "sicle". She loves them!

She is proficient at water wings now, so I will try to post some of her in them soon. It is so cute and it makes me cry to see how grown-up she is!!

Sickies

2007-05-31T12:40:00.000-04:00

I have been missing for a few days and just wanted to write a quick blog to catch you all up. Hailey woke up Tuesday morning at 5am and that is very early for her (I will tell you all about my mommy doesn't wake up before 6am rule later), but she didn't seem happy, so I snuggled her and let her go downstairs around 6am. She worried me because she didn't eat breakfast, was whiny, and lethargic, but she didn't have a temperature. I gave her motin anyway because I knew something was wrong. I called the doc and got an appointment, which was good because when we went at 1pm her temp was 102 and we discovered that she had a huge blister on her right eardrum. This is all kinda new because Hailey usually only gets little colds and has only had one other ear infection and it was so mild that we only discovered it because she was at a check-up. She is feeling better today and I think we may go to the pool this afternoon for an hour or so. She was "flying" off the couches all morning, and I need to get out, so I think it will be OK :) Max is also teething, so it has been pretty nutty the last couple of days, thus the lack of posts. I will post some pool pics soon, but for now I will leave you with a picture of Hailey riding her trike around the living room.

So cute and onrey!

Happy 6 months Max!

2007-05-27T20:19:00.000-04:00

My baby is 6 months old today and as before...my 6 favorite things about my tiny man:

1.Max is the cuddliest person I have ever met. He loves nothing more than to bury his face in my neck and have a good snuggle.

2. He is constantly giving me "kisses". These consist of open mouthed slobbers, but I can see the intention in his eyes.

3. He loves his sister and puts up with her not sharing, and actually laughs most of the time when she is tries to crush him or randomly screams his name into his face when she walks past him.

4. He isn't shy and loves almost anyone to hold him. He is a love sponge :)

5. He is very ticklish and loves to be tickled on his sides.

6. And finally because he puts up with his tired stressed out mommy and doesn't complain when I am holding him and chasing/scolding his sister at the same time. Max is always content to be along for the ride :)

I love you Max-asaurous! You will always be my little man, and I am so blessed that you came into my life. I cannot imagine for a moment not having your sweet face to look at.
Six months ago today this was you, and I have been a goner ever since.

Sand Flea

2007-05-23T12:47:00.000-04:00

We got Hailey a sand and water table for her birthday back in April, and yesterday I got motivated to actually get it out. The kids were angels at Lowes to get sand, and my impatient streak made me try to put it together last night. However, I soon discovered that it was going to take some handy-woman skill that I didn't think that I had, so I asked Cam to do it. He didn't (forgot), so this morning as Max was napping, I got the drill out and tapped into my inner Barb Vila :) There is a washer missing (so there is a tiny bit of leakage) and I stripped all the screws (so it cannot be taken apart), but it works and Hailey LOVED it. Luckily towards the end I got the camera and got some very cute pictures of my little sand flea.

She is so excited and having so much fun. Just look at how filthy!

You can see the damage that she did. The sand and the water were originally separate, but that was apparently not the way it was supposed to be.

She worked so hard and was so focused. I was actaully quite impressed.

As you can see, dragon had lots of fun as well :)

Last night of sleep training was good (only 30 minutes), and Max is actually napping better, so YEAH! Hope everyone is having a great week! The pool opens this weekend and I am am SO excited.

Nights 2 and 3

2007-05-22T12:16:00.000-04:00

I thought I would update you all on my sleep training progress because based on the number of comments my last blog got, this is fascinating :) Night 2 consisted of about 42 minutes of crying and then waking at 4am. I fed him because he had slept from approximately 8:45 until 4, so that deserved a reward. Last night he cried for about 45 minutes, but after about 2o minutes he was close, but was just too stubborn and kept waking himself up. He slept until 6am and I love it! Tonight will probably be bad because I am moving away from his crib and he really flips out when he can't see me. Hailey had her worst night when I moved away from her crib too, but hopefully we will make it. I am very much enjoying my Friend-assiance, so the whole training thing is really not too bad and Cam says it is great to see me downstairs before 9:45 :)

I feel these blogs are naked without pictures, so here is one of Max trying to crawl at Hailey's family birthday party.

And Training Begins......

2007-05-20T13:04:00.000-04:00

Well, as you know from my last blog, I have not been getting much sleep because Max has been having some trouble sleeping. It has gotten to the point where the bedtime bottle in given at 7:30pm and he is asleep anywhere from 9:30-10pm. He no trouble sleeping while being held, but as soon as we set him down, he kicks and flails and wakes himself up. Then he usually wakes up around 1am, 3am, and 5 am, each time taking around 30 minutes to get back to sleep. Needless to say, I am exhausted, angry, and starting to have ugly thoughts about my child, so I bit the bullet last night and started the Sleep Lady Shuffle. I have heard lots of methods of sleep training and read a couple of books, but this is what I found worked really well for me and Hailey. The process is really pretty simple, there are three nights of sitting by the crib comforting (patting, gently shhhhing, whatever works short of picking them up), and this should level off each night, and then three nights in the middle of the room with limited interaction past talking or shhhing, three nights in doorway, etc. until you are putting them down and leaving. I found this preferable to other methods because I felt like I wasn't completely abandoning them, but gradually getting them used to me not being part of falling asleep. Others have said that they can't stand to see them cry and that is why they chose Ferber or other solutions, but this coupled with a schedule is what turned Hailey from a cranky, whiny 8 month old who got up 5 times a night and only took 30 minute naps if I was lucky, into a lovely baby who slept through the night and took regular 2-3 hour naps. Every child is different and all moms know what works for them and their children, but I do recommend checking out "Good Night, Sleep Tight" by Kim West if you are having issues for any young age.

So, last night was our first night and Max screamed, kicked, and flailed for an hour, but I made it armed with my portable DVD player, headphones, and season one of Friends. Max went to sleep by 9pm with minimal help from me, and slept all the way until 7am. YEAH! Tomorrow is a new night, but am I re-energized and ready to tackle this because I have hope and I have seen it work. I also have all ten seasons of Friends on DVD :) I will keep everyone updated on the ups and downs and wish me luck! Please feel free to leave comments on your own experiences. I would love to hear all about them!

This is how Max takes naps, because of his reflux he likes to be elevated :)

Comtemplative Housemommy

2007-05-18T20:47:00.000-04:00

It has been a rough couple of days because Max hasn't been sleeping well and a playdate friend is not returning my calls, and compounded by the weather and a need to save money, I haven't really been out of the house much. This has, in turn, made me contemplate how much better I would have it if I worked and has made me feel pretty down. I love being with my kids on most days and never missing a first smile, roll, or step is amazing, but I go crazy for some adult conversation as well.
A working mom friend once went into depth about what a day in her life is like and I was overwhelmed just hearing about it, but I also found myself thinking about all the times she talked to someone over the age of two and how I bet she doesn't just think of herself as mommy, but as wife, mother and lawyer. In the past two years since I left the work force, I have tried to branch out and meet other moms like me to make friends with, but everytime I get a playdate and some hope, it is another 6 months to a year before it happens again. I think that I am pleasent and I have friends who like me, so I don't think they hate me, but I have been trying to enter a mommy-clique and I am thinking that it is not working. I reached out two weeks ago to Kindermusic moms (before I was booted) and we had a playdate, and I thought everyone had a great time. I exchanged numbers and have called them twice this week, with no call back. This has helped in me arriving at the bummed housewife place I am now. I am thinking about trying something just for me (tennis lessons perhaps), but that poses a new problem because no one seems willing to watch both kids at the same time (most especially my hubby), but I am starting to think if I don't do something soon I might just rent a convertible and dissappear forever. Just kidding, sorta :)
I need a hobby, so that is my new goal. I am going to find something that makes me special that has very little to do with being a mom. Now, what can that be? All suggestions are welcome and sorry for laying all this crap on those of you who made it this far :)

I leave you with a recent pic of Max that is so cute I should have it taped beside my TV so I can see it at 1am, 3am, and 5am when I want to give him to a nice home with a sweet tempered mommy who isn't full of frustration and anger.

Mother's Day Vacay

2007-05-15T12:42:00.000-04:00

We had a great time on our trip to the Smokies. It was relaxing after the kids were in bed to lounge in the hot tub and the kids seem to enjoy the zoo and the aquarium. Hailey wasn't too cranky and Max was happy as long as he was in the Bjorn :) Here are some cute pics.......

Max in the brief time he spent in the stroller. He looks kinda shiny because he was just slathered with sunscreen and has drool all over his clothes. At least I got good exercise carting him around all weekend :)

They had a petting zoo and Hailey loved brushing the goats. I was amazed at how docile they were. I was a bit freaked out because Hailey is fast and Cam wasn't keeping up with her, but the goats must have been used to it because they didn't bat an eye at my little tasmanian devil.

They had a pretend cow that squirted water and Hailey tried to milk it. Mommy was squirted soon after this pic was taken.

Hailey loved the aquariam the most and spent most of the time screaming "fishies" at each tank. She was fascinted by the sharks and for her good behaviour was rewarded with one from the gift shop.

Hailey was exhausted on the way home and fell asleep like this. I thought it was hilarious and snapped a picture.

I wish I had more pics of Max but my attempts to take pics of him in the Bjorn were unsuccessful. Hope everyone had a great Mother's Day weekend and I will write something more soon. Bye!

Kicked out of Kindermusic

2007-05-08T22:38:00.000-04:00

It is official, I am a terrible mother who cannot control my crazy undisciplined child. Monday Hailey was kicked out of Kindermusic and it was all my fault.
We have been going to KM since Hailey was 5 months old and she was never a huge fan, but she seemed to like socializing and I really enjoy getting out and talking to people, so we have signed up each fall and spring since. Last fall semester was a little difficult because I was HUGE pregnant and Hailey made me carry her most of the time, and aside from her trying to kiss and pet a boy named Connor she was relatively well behaved. We started the spring semester in January and she actually seemed to have turned a corner. She was dancing to the songs, listening to the story and rocking her stuffed animal during quiet time, and Max was good most of the time so I was feeling good about it. However, near the end of March it all went bad. Hailey started climbing everything, running around and generally being crazy. Max also decided around the same time that his carrier was awful and would no longer stay in it for any time that it was not moving in the car. I have pulled her out of class for time outs and left early, but each Monday we come back and I am am hopeful that she will behave like she used to, and she doesn't. Yesterday I almost didn't go, but I did, and as her behavior went from bad to worse I finally left in the middle of class as the teacher was whispering that it may be best if she not come back for the last class. I am angry because I feel that was rude, but I am most of all mad at myself because I put Hailey, the class, and myself through this torture week after week. I know why I did it and that is why I am a bad mother. I knew that Hailey wasn't that into the class and that we should have quit long ago, but I yearned to be a part of the mommy inner circle of women in the class, so I kept bringing her in hopes of securing a playdate. I actually did get a playdate and one mom told me that Hailey's previous week's antics made for the most entertaining KM class ever and that she was impressed with my ability to juggle Max, scold Hailey, and not go insane at the same time. It made me feel a tiny bit better, but mostly just more embarrassed because my daughter is entertainment. Oh well, I guess this seals the deal on no more Kindermusic and I will be looking for a good 2 year old gymnastics class in the fall :)

I will leave you with a pic of Hailey saying cheese when I asked her to smile pretty. I can't stay mad at this face too long :)

Rice cereal is yum!

2007-05-06T12:16:00.000-04:00

Hailey has always been very helpful with Max, so I was not surprised the other day when she insisted on helping me feed him. She actually did a very good job and I took some pictures of it.

She took the shovel-it-in approach and Max didn't seem to mind.

She was very careful to get the extra around his mouth because we don't waste food :)

Max is happy and full and wondering why Hailey has no clothes on (She had just finished eating and insisted I take off her "yucky" clothes.

We are going to Gatlinburg this coming weekend, so I will try to blog again before then, but with packing I make no promises. Later!

At Jenn's request....

2007-05-02T13:03:00.000-04:00

It has been awhile since I posted, but things have just been a bit crazy. Nothing special really, my life is as uneventful as ever, but I suspect Max is teething, has developed RLS (restless leg syndrome, and I am kidding, I just watch too much TV), or hates me because he is not sleeping for more than 30-40 minutes at a time. (Break to get him from his crib, he has been down only 20 minutes) He used to sleep through the night and take these 2 hour afternoon naps, but hasn't for days and I am exhausted and my house looks really bad because he doesn't stay in an exersaucer/bouncy seat/on the floor/etc. for more than 5 minutes without screaming. I am sure you are thinking "she has spoiled him, he is addicted to being held", and first of all, I don't believe that is possible, but second he actually spends a lot of time crying because I can't hold him as much as I did Hailey. He is on Prevacid for reflux and it helps, but maybe it is still not enough and he is in pain still, I don't know. I seem to remember Hailey going through this around 5 months because she started rolling and moving, so I know that it will pass, it is just that while I am going through it is STINKS. I will probably sleep train him soon, but I gotta wait until after our vacation so I don't mess it up.

On a happier note, potty training for Hailey is going really well. She is completely what I call naked butt trained. We have a potty in the living room and she sits on it when she needs to go. I am so impressed and excited because it seemed like the scariest thing ever and we had some early issues, but I really think by the end of May she will be totally trained. If we really concentrated on it I think we could have it done this week, but I am in no rush. Yesterday I was making dinner and we have a bathroom off the kitchen and I put the potty seat on the real potty and showed her, hoping that she would use it there too, and she did twice! The best is that after dinner I forgot to bring it back into the living room and she stopped in the middle of playing to tell me that she had to potty. YEAH! I have been trying to get some pics of her on the potty, but she is so quick and I always forget :) I will try to post some soon.

So that is what the Petersons are up to....fascinating stuff huh :)

Just some Quick pics

2007-04-24T20:28:00.000-04:00

I went to get Hailey from her nap today, and I always put Max in her crib so that I can get her out and dress her, and as usual she wanted to snuggle her brother before I got her out. It just looked so cute that I took some pictures, and thought I might share.

Here is Hailey offering me her extra bink (she gets 3 at nap time, one for her mouth and one for each hand) I know that breaking the bink habit is imminent, but she only uses them at sleepy times and I am just too tired and she sleeps so well. Call me lazy, I can take it :)

"You know you want a big slimy kiss big sis..."

I was trying to get Max to smile, but Hailey couldn't handle a picture being taken without her...I think it is still pretty cute.

Tomorrow I hope to be able to update you on potty training! It is going VERY well and if we can accomplish it soon I may be able to keep the rug in my living room :)

Hailey's Birthday

2007-04-19T13:37:00.000-04:00

I thought is was about time to post some pics of Hailey's birthday. Unfortunately I was too busy at the party to get any good pics, so this is all I have. My hubby took this while she was opening presents.

I think the party went well, and though it got a little crazy at times, it was better than last year, so I have deemed it a success :)

These are pictures of Hailey with her birthday cake at the dinner my mom had for us at her house on Hailey's actual birthday. She is a cutie and boy does she love her cake! Just like her mommy!
Blowing out her candles.....

Enjoying her icing......

Organizing what is left....

And savoring the last bites.

That's all for now and I get to relax on the birthday party planning until around November (Max), so yeah!

Tagged AGAIN!

2007-04-16T22:28:00.000-04:00

I have been tagged, so here is what happens when I go to Wikipedia and type in my birthday (April 13) without the year.

Three Events
1902-James C. Penney opens his first store in Kemmerer, Wyoming (I used to work there)
1970-An oxygen tank aboard Apollo 13 explodes, putting the crew in deadly peril
1997- Tiger Woods becomes the youngest golfer to win the Master's Tournament (for the hubby)

Two Important Birthdays
1743-Thomas Jefferson
1964- Caroline Rhea (I love her)

One Death
1939- Grey Owl-proponent of nature conservation

One Holiday or Observance
Aerosmith Day in Massachusetts and every now and then Friday the 13th (like this year)

I have also been challenged by Kim to post pics of myself as a kid and I will do my best, but my scanner doesn't work and I am not as good of a photographer as others, so taking a picture of a picture proved difficult.

This is a baby pic of me and my PaPa...he passed away in Oct 2003, and I miss him, so this is one of my favorites.

I am about five or six in this picture...I also have the Dorothy Hamill, it was big back then.

I tag Jennifer and Alicia on here and I will repost on Myspace and tag Wendy and Jessica. That is four and my blog karma is clear :)

Happy Birthday Sweet Pea!

2007-04-11T13:08:00.000-04:00

In honor of my first born's second birthday I am going to list the top 12 (one for each month of her second year) reasons I love her so very much.
1. Because she greets me every morning with a smile that makes me almost forget that I am not a morning person.

2. She is not afraid of anything and will jump off or climb anything ( this also scares the crap out of me)
3. Though she never asked for a baby brother, and I suspect would have been content with a new doll, she loves baby Max almost as much as I do and really tries to be a big help.
4. She give the best hugs
5. The way she crinkles her nose after saying yucky is the cutest thing I have ever seen
6. She is actually better at housework than me, and enjoys is much more
7. I love that she walked at 8 1/2 months because it is just an example of how nothing holds her back
8. She is so tough and can take a big fall without a tear, but also still needs her mommy first if there is a boo boo
9. The fact that she calls all bugs bees and will crouch down chanting this and follow an ant around the kitchen is also very cute
10. When you scare her or surprise her her face scrunches up and her whole body shivers, it is hilarious
11. The way her face lights up when I pick her up from preschool gives me the best feeling ever because I know she had so much fun, but she still would rather be with me and that rocks
12. And finally, because she will always be my little sweet pea pod (she looked like a pea pod all bundled up as a newborn, and the name stuck) and my first born who taught me how to be a mommy

This is Hailey on her very first birthday (the day of her birth.) I wish I could show you one with her eyes open, but I don't have one :)

Hailey fell down our basement stairs a week before her first birthday celebration and this was the result...

As you can see she healed and looked much better by her actual birthday, but still had a shiner, but she was still the cutest birthday girl I had ever seen.

So, Hailey is two, and I am sad because I miss my baby, but I can't wait to see what this year has in store for her and me. I love you Hailey Elaine Peterson!!!!

Karma

2007-04-09T12:33:00.000-04:00

I called my friend Andrea this weekend and we had way too much fun talking on the phone, so her son made her pay by pouring baby shampoo all over the floor, so as proof of karma, my daughter paid me back on Andrea's behalf this morning. I sat down to nurse Max at 10:30 this morning and Hailey decided that this was when she needed to be in the kitchen, so after unlatching and latching Max back on about 3 times (by the way, he was not happy about being interrupted), I get Hailey in time out and give her the evil eye to stay. It did not work, but Max was almost done, so I didn't get up the last time and listened carefully in case I heard climbing sounds. We do have a gate between the kitchen and the family room, but it is the third one that Hailey has broken/figured out. It was eerily quiet except for what may have been soft thuds, and it was only a minute and a half max. I then learned that the soft thuds I did hear were all 10 eggs I had just bought to make her birthday cake, hitting my floor. I saved 2, but of course I need 3, but I enjoy the fact that my first thought upon seeing the mess was "I should take a picture for my blog." Unfortunately I couldn't find the camera and Hailey wanted to play in it and she had a date with the time-out chair, so no pics, but I promise to keep my camera handy for the next disaster. By the way, Andrea, if this isn't good enough, she also poured all the dog food and water on the floor a mere 10 minutes later while I was making lunch. :)

Am I crazy?

2007-04-04T21:01:00.000-04:00

In my last post I mentioned that my birthday is coming up, and my hubby and mom have been asking me what I want as a present. To both of them I said I would like an afternoon alone to get a much needed massage (that is already paid for, thanks to a baby shower gift), and they both laughed at me. I wasn't kidding and I am a little sketchy on why this is so funny, so I ask, "Am I crazy?" Their reactions have made me feel even crazier because I am starting to believe that I will seriously not have a moment alone anytime in the future. I am going to go downstairs and eat some M & M's and sulk...

By the way, Max ate (by this I mean spit on his bib) bananas (his first solid food) today. It was momentous and adorable

And also a bit traumatic........

I felt bad for the poor little guy because I think I tried a bit too close to nap time. Tomorrow we will try earlier :)

Life is what happens....

2007-04-01T20:44:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite quotes is "Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans." I am not sure who said it, but it describes the last two years of my life perfectly. Not all of you know me well enough to know that I am a planner. I like to make lists and make plans. I know where we are going on vacation every minute and I go crazy if someone suggest winging it. I need to know what is going on, so I thrive on schedules and plans. Two years ago I became a mom, and not one thing is close to my plans for where I would be on April 1, 2007 and I couldn't be happier.
April 1, 2005, two more days left in the last week of my paying job. I was as big as a house and my predicted due date had came and went (March 25), so I was sure I would pop any minute even though I wasn't due for another 8 days (April 9). I was so eager to be a mom, but I was also so scared. Weeks ago I had put the bouncer, swing, and pack-in-play together (I didn't really need the pack-in-play, but you know nesting), and I stared longingly at her crib with the fresh sheets and carefully picked out bedding in the corner of our bedroom every night barely able to wait until my perfect, sweet girl would be inside. I also thought longingly about sleeping once again on my stomach and seeing my feet and finally having my body back. Oh sweet naive Heather, I just want to hug her, because she had no clue. Cam and I had been married for almost 5 years by then and we had weathered some ups and downs, but the next two years made the past both pale and glow in comparison. I had no idea that in less than two weeks (April 11) my world would change forever and nothing would ever be the same. The day I came home from the hospital with Hailey (my 27th birthday, April 13) I found out that my husband's company was finally going to send us to Charleston, WV where I grew up and had been longing to return to for the past 3 years we had spent in Pike-Hell (ville), Ky. However, we had only one month to find a house and move, so the sleepless first couple months of parenthood are still a blur to me. We ended up buying my mom's house because she gave us a great deal, and it had basically what we needed. I was sure that everything else would fall into place, even if I didn't get the house of my dreams, after all our daughter was sleeping through the night and she was only 2 months old. Hailey will continue being the perfect baby, we will sell this house for a profit next year and buy a nicer house once we have saved up some money.
April 1, 2006, I am three months pregnant and I am consumed with planning my daughter's first birthday party. The birthday party was part of the plan, but being 3 months pregnant certainly was not. By now I have gotten used to the idea, and the tears of terror are left in March when I found out. I know that the plan is still going to work and my perfect family is just going to be plus one. I am a pro, you see, I have been a mom for a year, so I know everything. I have sleep trained my daughter (that sleeping through the night at 2 months only worked for about 2 months), and I have watched her learn to roll over, sit up, and walk (at 8 1/2 months, but I survived.) I have kissed her first boo-boos, and heard her first word, so I am pretty sure that I can do it all over again and am actually getting excited. I had no clue that in 2 days my daughter would fall down the basement stairs and get a monster boo-boo that would scare the living crap out of me, and that in less than two weeks (April 12) my husband would reach his limit with Bob Evan after 10 years and quit his job on the spot. Have I mentioned that I have not had a paying job in a year? This was not part of the plan, and I was blindsided, but as I said before, I had been a mom for a year, and I had learned in that year to roll with the punches, so I regrouped, supported my hubby and made a new plan. Cam would get a better job, my new baby will be easier than Hailey, and we will wait to buy that new nicer house for awhile and just be glad our house payment is still manageable. It will all still be fine, right?
That brings us back to today, April 1, 2007, and my hubby has a new job that may take me far away this year, and I have a new son that may just roll over any day. The new house is still on hold, Max has colic (GER), and Cam's job pays less than his last one, but he is much happier. I still recognize that bright eyed, hopeful Heather from April 2005, and I still like to make a plan, but I am wise enough to know that plans change and sometimes they get scrapped altogether. However, the result is a new more beautiful and unseen plan that is like nothing you could have imagined and will challenge you so much it will make the old plan look like practice. I am scared about moving away from my mom and my friends, but I am also excited about where I will be on April 1, 2008, and who I will be after the next year that Hailey and Max have in store for me. My new plan is to watch, wait, and absorb the gifts that the universe has for me and to learn to appreciate. It is a simple one, and I just hope I can follow through :)

Welcome to "Spin That Baby"

2007-03-29T13:29:00.000-04:00

Max was officially 4 months old on Tuesday and it occurred to me that he may be ready to try the bouncer seat, so while I was making dinner yesterday I brought it upstairs. Max thought it was OK by himself, but soon Hailey noticed him and the fun was taken to a whole new level.
This is when a new game began in my home called "Spin That Baby." The game is simple and the rules are basic; Spin the baby until he spits up, or cries, or Mom catches you and places you in time out, whichever comes first.

Max had a blast with this game, and as cute as it was, I know that I have just seen the tip of the "my brother is a toy" iceberg.

I did get some cute pics, though!

I'm IT!

2007-03-28T12:50:00.000-04:00

I have been tagged by Kim...I was wondering why Andrea didn't tag me :)

Four Jobs I Have Had
Blimpies/Baskin Robbins Employee
College Telecounselor/Recruiter
Regional Visual Merchandisor (Peebles)
Assistant Store Manager (Peebles)

Four Movies I Would Watch Over and Over
Beaches
Steel Magnolias
The Princess Bride
Legally Blonde

Four Places I Have Lived
Fraziers Ass (Bottom), WV
Beckley, WV
Pike-Hell (ville), KY
Charleston, WV

Favorite Bands and Singers
Dixie Chicks
Christina Aquilera (I know...but she is so good)
Garth Brooks
Nickelback

Four Loves of my Life
my Hailey bear and Max-asaurous
Cam (when he isn't a complete a**hole)
my mom
my dad (also when he is not an a**hole, is there a pattern?)

Four Most Memorable Moments
Giving Birth
finding out I was pregnant, both times were surprises
saying my wedding vows
my first day at Concord

Four Favorite Foods
Pizza
Ice Cream
Choc Chip Cookies
Cinn Life Cereal (I wonder why I have a weight problem?)

Four Places I Would Rather Be
the Outer Banks with my sister
on a cruise ship heading to the Carribean
anywhere warm and tropical with Cam and no kids (bad mommy moment)
taking a shower..........

So that is where I am going and in the spirit of Kim I will leave you with a fun pic of The Petersons (us)and The Fantonis at the beach in 2005.

By the way, I tag Jennifer (as Andrea suspected) and Alicia :)

Missing...

2007-03-27T22:39:00.000-04:00

It has been a couple of days since I blogged, and I just wanted to let you all know that I have not grown bored and quit (I do that sometimes), but I have been sick, and now is the first time I have felt good enough to blog. Let's just say that you don't want me to describe how I was sick, I will say that it required lots of bathroom cleaning in the aftermath and leave it at that. :)
The fam had a good weekend. We went to Coonskin park and Cam played with Hailey on the playground and then we all walked around the lake. We tried to feed the ducks, but they were already full and annoyed by people hitting them with bread, so Cam, Max (in the stroller), and I followed Hailey around while she screamed "duckies." Strangely, this did not make them want to come near us, to Hailey's disappointment. My favorite part of the day was when we got to the dock and Hailey tried to jump in the water. I stopped her, but then she tried to take her clothes off (that is why she thought I wouldn't let her get in.) It was very hard to explain to Hailey that the water was yucky and we do not swim in yucky lakes, while trying to not laugh because she was very cute and serious. It was a good day, and though Hailey got her first two outside boo-boos of the season and Max slept through the whole thing, I loved it and can't wait to do it again!

BAD Mommy

2007-03-23T12:23:00.000-04:00

Inspired by my friend Andrea I have decided to admit to some bad mommy moments and thoughts.......
1. I also hide books, Hailey has this huge stack in my bedroom where we rock before nap and I hide all but two before we rock. If I don't she will make me read them all and it takes forever. I also cannot stand "Go Dog Go" which is in the stack. I could move this huge stack to her closet, but then that would be work.
2.I let my daughter climb far too much, but it just so tiring to always be angry and saying "NO"
3. I REALLY want to scotch tape Max's Binky in his mouth, but don't so back off CPS :)
4. 9pm when all the kids are asleep is my favorite time of day
5. I also let Hailey eat Pringles and way too much pizza, but in my defense, she is extremely picky
6. I am a schedule freak with my kids and know that it is really good for them to have structure, but that is not why I am so, I admit that I do it mostly for me
7. I let Hailey watch a good amount of TV and it occurred to me this morning as Joy Behar was repeating the word "bitch", that maybe I need to stop
8. I haven't even started Max's baby book and Hailey's is only a tiny bit more done than his
9. I don't take enough pictures or videos of the kids
10. And finally, sometimes in a secret part of my brain for a small moment I wish I was single and without kids and dancing on a bar like in the old days, but then I see their faces and know I have it much better (right?) ;)
I will leave you with one of my favorite old pictures of Hailey and I at Max's current age, 4 months...as you can tell she was a bit chunkier and I look a little rough, but I was a new mom so it's allowed.......

ChaChaChanges....

2007-03-22T22:43:00.000-04:00

Today was one of those regular, everyday mommy days that seem to run together and make up the framework of a stay-at-home mom's life. The kids were fine, the dogs were annoying, and before I knew it, dinner was eaten, and the kids were asleep and I am exhausted. I often wonder why I am tired on Thursdays, because as I have said they are my easy day, but I think the early parts of the week start to catch up to me and then slam me on Friday. Hailey actually took a nap today (no sleepy time nudity) and Max didn't scream that much.
We tried to go to Coonskin Park and feed the ducks, but it started raining about 1/2 an hour in, so we packed up and left. Last year I had to follow Hailey on all the equipment (and believe me, at 4-5 months pregnant, it was a bit difficult maneuvering the tube), but today I realized that she didn't need me as much and that made me a little sad. This also made me realize that Max is almost 4 months old and will soon be old enough to try rice cereal and then possibly veggies and meats and fruits (I know, weird segueway, but my brain is a funny place.) I remember so clearly not being able to wait until Hailey reached this milestone. I had the highchair set up in the corner for months and had picked out a special bib and bowl. That day I strapped her in and set up the video camera, and I remember being so over the moon that my baby was eating a spoonful of cereal that I could not wait to try the jar food. I don't remember being that sad, but this time I am. I am actually putting it off and telling myself that the American Academy of Pediatrics breastfeed exclusively until 6 months, so I don't really need to give him any solids. I just can't believe that my infant is now a baby and will soon be doing all the things that Hailey did, but in his own unique way. I guess I just got slammed with how fast kids grow up and how much I am going to miss the infant, baby and toddlers that they have or will become, and how excited I am to see who they will be. I'm glad that I started blogging because at least now I have a record! Sorry so mom sappy, I think my Mirena has kicked me into a hormone overload :) I am going to bed before I start crying, but I will leave you with a cute pic I took the other day......

Kids Fix Everything

2007-03-21T12:56:00.000-04:00

After my issues and thoughts yesterday, I decided that I wanted to take the kids to the park and we had a blast!

Hailey rode the bouncy squirrel (last year she wouldn't go near it), and LOVED it as you can see...

She also went down the slide and loved that as well. As you can see she is filthy, but that is what play clothes are for :)...

Nauni (my mom) came later and they had a blast going down the big slide. I swear the child has no fear, except of swings, she tried for about 2.1 seconds and decided that she still hates them...

Max had fun just chillin' with bear and Binky....

That was our day and it was so much fun. I wish we could go back today, but I have to grocery shop. Wish me luck and have a great day everyone!

Thoughts on my crazy mom brain

2007-03-20T12:37:00.000-04:00

I need to preface this blog with this statement: I am a crazy mom and crazy sensitive about my kids. Recently, I encountered a situation where I felt one of my kids was compared to someone elses and I lost it because mine did not measure up. I stewed and moaned about it all day to my hubby and debated on flying off the handle at this person, but in the end I decided that the person meant no harm and had no idea how insensitive they were being. They are just proud of their child and wanted others to know about it. I know that my child is exceptional and special and wonderful in their own way and I don't spend my time spouting about how my kids are better than the norm because I think every kid is better in some ways than others. I try really hard not to get caught up in the mommy-comparison game, but sometimes my evil side rears its ugly head and competitive rage will consume me. I hope that one day I can honestly let go and be OK with my children's strengths and weaknesses and not think about them in comparison to others because I don't want them to ever think that I am not proud of them. How do you do that I wonder? How do you encourage without stressing your child out or comparing them to others, whether it be consciously or subconsciously? Is this just going to be one of the infinite ways that I am going to screw my kids up? Probably, but I know there is still time, and I am aware of the problem, so there is still hope. I love Hailey and Max to no end and I do the best I can as their mom, and when it it feels like someone else believes that they are inferior, I feel inferior and all those old issues from high school and college come back. Because being a mom is my current chosen profession, I put way too much of myself into my kids and if one small thing is said in the negative I lose it for them and myself. I can't be the only one, though, so that is my only consolation. Crazy moms of the world unite and we shall figure out how we can least screw up the next generation!

My day off...or as close as I get

2007-03-16T12:32:00.000-04:00

I usually consider Thursdays my day off because Hailey goes to preschool for three hours in the morning, and then naps until three when we get home. Before Max was born, the three hours were completely mine. I would go to Booksamillion, get a decaf latte, and read for an hour or two. I spend the time now playing with Max and letting him have 100% of me, which I hate that he hardly ever gets. He is so sweet and loves attention, but less demanding than Hailey, though I suspect that it is purely out of necessity.
Yesterday was Green Day at school (I don't think they can officially celebrate St. Patricks Day for fear of offending people, much like good ole E. Bunny at the mall) and Hailey looked super cute, as always...

I also had to provide a green snack and after much thought I brought green grapes. I really wanted to go with Rice Krispy treats, but grapes seemed like the healthier option. One of Hailey's teachers pointed out that the RK Treats probably had less sugar, but oh well, and poo on her for ruining what I thought was a good mommy moment.
After Hailey returned from preschool, I put her down for her nap. Now, she usually doesn't really nap on Thursdays because she is so late getting down, but I make her chill in there anyway until three because she (and I) need the quiet time, well yesterday was no exception and I heard her chatting for the entire hour and 1/2, but she seemed fine. However, when I went to get her at 3, she was nude. No diaper, no clothes, and curled up in a ball. She wasn't crying and did not seem upset, she just pointed at her wet diaper and said pee-pee. She is actually refusing her nap at the moment, as well, and now I am scared that she is again naked, so I have already checked on her once. I couldn't help but laugh at her, though, and I was rather impressed that she didn't wet her bed at all.
After nap, Hailey spent the majority of the afternoon with baby in mommy's bijorn.

She was very funny, bouncing "baby" just like mommy and imitating my shushing sounds. After "baby" came out of the bijorn it was time for a story, and she cracked me up when she made "baby" touch all the things in her touch and feel book. Watching her grow up and the stuff that she comes up with has been so funny and amazing! I can't wait to see Max learn and grow.

Today, not so perfect

2007-03-14T12:33:00.000-04:00

The kids are following the weather and being grumpy. I have heard "no" from Hailey so many times that I want to ban it, but I know she is just expressing her independence. She spent the better part of the morning in time out because she refused to help mommy clean up a mess she made. I just am not sure where to draw the line on making her a good person and not making her a robot. I ask her to do things for me and she says no, and then I express that it is not nice, but I don't feel like I should force her to bring me things or to become my slave. However, I do want her to know that mommy is boss and she is to be minded. Oh well, I saw a comediene mom on The View yesterday joke that she is not worried about how she will screw her kids up because that will just make them more interesting people. I have a feeling my kids are going to be fascinating, much like myself :)

I brought my camera yesterday, but didn't take many pictures, so I only have this one of Max's first walk. He was riveted as you can see....

Perfect Mommy Day (so far)

2007-03-13T12:53:00.000-04:00

I am having one of those rare perfect mommy days! Hailey is being an angel (or as close as she gets.) She peed in the potty two more times and has only tried to squish her brother once or twice. Max has hardly cried and taken naps when he has been tired (as opposed to screaming until he passes out which tends to be his favorite), and the best of all he slept from 9pm last night until 7:25am. I checked him at 7 when I woke up to make sure he was still alive. I am sure that he will not do this again until I am least expecting it, but it is nice to know that he has it in him. I just wish that I knew exactly what contributed to this long sleep so that I could do it again tonight, but alas, as most mommy stuff is, it is a crapshoot, so I will keep plugging along and hoping, until he is old enough to sleep train (which we will get to in later blogs.)
I am also so excited because Max is going on his first walk this afternoon! I get to put his cute little Nike hat on him and actually walk, which is my favorite way to exercise. I really need to drop some baby weight and am not motivated enough to eat perfect, so exercise should help some, or at the very least give me some endorphins and make me feel good. I am off to get ready and I will try to take some pictures now that I have figured out how to post them!

Last try and potty success

2007-03-11T13:58:00.000-04:00

This is my last try at a pic of Max. This blogger thing is confusing for me, and I can't seem to find help, so if you know what I am doing wrong, please help :) I also cannot figure out how to put the blogs I frequent on my page or how to find someone's blog. I believe a friend of mine blogs here as well and I would like to find his page. Here goes with my last try at a Max pic.....

YEAH!!! I think it worked!!!
By the way, Hailey peed in the potty twice this morning and I was finally able to impress upon her the fact that she gets an M&M for doing so. Potty training is looking doable, because I saw a little light in her eyes and a flicker of understanding about the process!! She may not be in diapers forever after all.

Introduction of me!

2007-03-11T13:19:00.000-04:00

Hi! My friend Andrea started blogging here and I thought it seemed like a fun idea to be able to blog without everyone that I know reading it, so I joined too!
I am 28 (soon to be 29) with two wonderful children. Hailey is my oldest and she will be two in April and Max was born on November 27th of last year. I didn't plan on having them so close together, but I learned that you really should be diligent with your birth control. I am so happy that it turned out this way, and Max is the sweetest baby in the world. I cannot imagine my life without him, and am amazed every day with how much I am able to love my two little babies. That being said, Hailey can be a handful, she is very stubborn and willful, and Max looks like he is developing a strong personality as well, so I am in for a interesting 18 years. I am going to try to put pictures on here, so hopefully they will show up!