The Scoop

I should be packing...

Why should I be packing?  Oh, because we move TOMORROW. 

Yeah.  I know.  I've left you in the dust again.  One week turns into two and then blogging just to keep up turns into a daunting task.  Blogging is not suppose to be a chore.  It's suppose to be fun.

I actually was going to blog about two weeks ago.  Unfortunately, my computer is having this little issue.  Something about having a million pictures and videos of a 14 month old that has taken up all available disc space and there is no room for more pictures to be uploaded.  How did you like that run-on sentence? :)  Anyway, this post will be picture-less (aka boring), but we are working on it.  (and by "we", I mean I am waiting for my technologically sound husband to wave his magic IT wand and fix it).

Hmm... I guess at this point you might be wondering why I am moving.  Oh, and maybe where I am moving to.  Sigh.  Such a long story.

The short of it is............ I quit my job.  Yes.  Yes, I did.  I'm sure you are shaking your head asking yourself what kind of crazy am I.  Well the answer to that is many kinds of crazy, but that's neither here nor there.  This is the internet and I am not going to divulge everything for the world to read (you know--that whole burning bridges thing).  I will say that there were MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY reasons why I quit.  To make it simple, it was just not working out for our family anymore.  It was not working personally for me on many levels.  That translated into not working for Michael either, because who wants a crabby over emotional wife on their hands? It also wasn't what was best for Olivia-on many levels. So a few things brought the whole situation to a head and after months of Michael telling me to just quit, I finally had a peace about it and did it.

That leaves me to why we are moving.  We are moving because a) we needed some place cheaper, and b) we needed a place with a garage for storage.  We were using my bosses house for storage--all of my teaching stuff, all of Olivia's baby things that we are keeping for next time, all of our Christmas decorations, wedding items, and on and on.  They said we could keep the stuff there, but we feel it is best to just get it out and cut that little tie.  I don't want to have to ask permission every time I need a vase or a picture frame.

We really like Frisco.  We also like that Michael is so close to his work.  Unfortunately, Frisco is a VERY affluent area, and finding a cheaper place was proving hard.  In fact, it was hard to find something cheaper no matter how far out we went.  (Well, and not be in the ghetto.)  We found a place in McKinney that will work. It's close to the freeway, so Michael's commute will still be tolerable.

 Oh, and did I mention that McKinney was just voted #2 best place to live in American by money magazine?!

source

A quick answer to the most FAQ's:

Am I looking for a job?  No.  It was decided before Michael and I ever even got married that I would be a stay at home mom.  I have wanted to be a stay at home mom since high school.  We agreed on the nanny situation because we thought it was the best of both worlds.  It was not.  Neither of us want to put Olivia in daycare (personal choice).  Also, I have carried our family financially for the past two and a half years, so I think it's time I get a break and focus on our daughter. :)  Michael is hoping to move up in his company, but in the meantime he will get a second job to help pay the bills.

If I am not Little Man's nanny, why not move back to Ohio?  We honestly considered this.  We love Texas, but it's true...we don't have any family here and just a few friends.  However, Michael has a job that he actually really likes for the first. time. ever!!!!  That's pretty important.  Not only that, but he got in at the ground level and they are growing at a rapid pace.  The president, CEO, COO, etc all know Michael personally.  They know his character/work ethic/etc.  They are willing to promote within, and if the company continues to take off as fast as it is/at the rate expected, then there is a lot of room for Michael to move up and make a career out of it.  After much thought, discussion, and prayer, we have decided to stick it out a year.  Having a job you love is important!  Working for people you believe in and who believe in you is also important.  If in a year it has worked out the way we feel it will, then Texas will likely be our home for the long haul.  If we are still dealing with low pay, minimal new company insurance, and empty promises of advancements, then we will likely look at our options and possibly move on.

So that's the scoop.  Once we move and get settled, I hope to get back into the swing of blogging.  Even if it is just our day to day adventures.  I have so many ideas swimming around in my head about fun things to do with Olivia.  I can't wait to get started.  It's all happening at just the right time.  She is a sponge and is at that age where she needs to be taught, socialized, and molded into a smart little cookie. :)

Project 366: Weeks 29, 30 & 31

Remember the days when there was a new blog waiting for you to read every morning?!  Ha ha! Me too!  Ay yi yi.  Sorry I've been so behind!  Here are 3 weeks worth of pictures.

197. Mmm....broccoli!

198. She took a liking to the little book from a Chick-fil-a kids meal.

199. Eating corn for the first time--corn on the cob!  She loved it.

200. Learning how to eat her snack out of her new snack cup.  How cute is she!

201. Taking a shower!

202. She's decided that the shelf is a fun place to play

203. Telling me something important, I'm sure.

204. I was trying to get a picture of how long her hair is, but she wouldn't stay still so her head is bent a little bit forward.

205. She decided to crawl in her toy box at work.

206. Climbing up the stairs...one of her favorite things.

207. After a morning swim

208. "No pictures. I'm sick! :("  We both ended up catching whatever Little Man had.  We stayed home this day.  She had a fever, but thankfully that's as bad as it got.

209. Playing at a small local science musuem

210. Loving her baby

211. Taking a few steps!

212. Corn on the cob, again!

213. Little man has a few Mickey Mouse toys that sing and dance.  She loves them.  She even says Mickey Mouse now. It's more like "mee mou".  So cute.

214. Having a snack after nap. How cute is she with her bed head?! :)

215. Pouting because I told her no.

216. Playing at work.

217. We went out to eat and the place had a bear in the lobby.

Project 366: Week 28

190. "I love my books!" :)

191. Loving the library--more shelves with books!

192. Watching Little Man intently

193. We were swimming and I got out of the pool to check the time.  I thought I'd take a picture at the same time... that's the one second Olivia decided she wanted to climb out of her floatie.  This was the picture I got before throwing my phone down and yelling at LM to watch her!

194. (For the sizing of the pictures, I swapped 194 and 196) Reading books at work... after climbing the stairs at work for the twentieth time.

195. Can you tell this girl loves books?

196. We had our friends over for a Saturday afternoon swim.  The girls are 3 1/2 months apart.  They both stuck their tongues out on their own.  Hilarious.

Sensory Tub: Rice

I was off most of last week, so I decided it was time to do something with Olivia besides playing with toys.  I bought a $4 bin at Wal-mart, along with a 10 pound bag of rice.  It was time for a sensory tub!

She wasn't sure what to do at first.

After staring at it for a little while, she finally decided to touch it.

Then she took a handful and it went right to her mouth!

Obviously she didn't like it.  From then on, she would pretend to take a bite, but she'd shake her head no instead.  Hilarious.

Then she started taking handfuls and putting it between her legs.

Then she started throwing the rice like a dog trying to cover it's poop and that was the end of sensory tub time! 

It was a good half hour while it lasted... we'll try again next week.

Project 366: Week 25, 26 & 27

169. Modeling her Father's Day shirt... not a good picture of the shirt, but a cute picture of her.  Notice the foot! :)

170. Texting while driving.  We will need to discuss this.

171. Her classic "OH!" face. :)

172. Grandma feeding her

173. Watching Praise Baby

174. Cracks me up!

175. Happy Birthday!

176. Twins!

177. Reading a book!

178. Watching Little Man at Tae Kwon Do.

179. Crawling through her own little obstacle course.

180.  Cheering Little Man on while bowling.

181. Baby feet!

182.  She loves to put her feet up like this--both in her high chair and her stroller.

 183. Early morning reading with Boppa.

184. Climbing up on her chair... one of her new favorite things to do.

185. Riding on the carousel at a local play place.  Little Man played Star Wars and we went round and round. :)

186. I was trying to recreate her 4th of July picture from last year, but she was being difficult.  This was the best I could get.  Also, I bought this shirt about 3 weeks ago because she didn't have a single red or blue thing to wear.  Then she got a ton on her birthday, so she wore red, white and blue the entire week.

187. Thinking about taking a step

188. Playing in rice

189. CUTIE!

A Carseat PSA

Alright, I know some of you already think I'm a little loony when it comes to some of my parenting choices.  I am perfectly fine with this.  I probably think you are a little loony (uninformed) myself.  :)  I guess that's what makes the world go round, right? However, this post isn't about my opinion.  It is about fact and ultimately the life and death safety of your child.

My intention for this post is not to call anyone out or step on anyone's toes.  I don't have anyone in mind when writing this.  I am simply passing along information that I myself didn't even know 6 months ago.  I figure that if I didn't know it, then there is a pretty good chance that some of you don't know either.  I knew the law was rear facing for 1 year, but that the new suggestion was 2 years.  I had no idea how important rear facing is.  I was asked on Olivia's birthday if we were turning her car seat around.  My answer was an emphatic "No!"  So here we go....

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announced that parents should keep their children in rear facing car seats up until age two (not one, as previously recommended). The newest research has shown that kids in rear facing seats are more than five times safer than those riding in forward facing seats. Statistics from recent studies have shown that children under the age of 2 who ride in rear facing seats are 75% less likely to die or suffer major injury during a collision. (source)

SEVENTY FIVE PERCENT less likely to be seriously injured or die!?!  Um, how can you argue with that?  Really, there is SO MUCH I could say on the topic.  Instead, I'm going to ask you to watch this 6 minute video.  Part of it is about a real life story, but it also includes crash tests.  If it doesn't change your mind about extended rear facing, then I doubt any statistic or tidbit of info I could share would. 


The words "internal decapitation" are enough for us to keep Olivia rear facing for as long as possible.  Some people argue that their legs are too long and it's uncomfortable.  Listen--legs can break and heal....spines, not so much.  Kids sit with their legs crossed all the time anyway.  Olivia is 95th percentile for height, so it's not like I won't be dealing with this issue soon myself.  Either way, we plan on keeping her rear facing for as long as possible.  Hopefully until she reaches the 40 pound maximum that our carseat allows.

I do understand that there are a few reasons why it might be necessary to switch sooner.  If she was getting car sick and throwing up every day, I might consider it too.  Or if she was screaming bloody murder every time she was in the car (and therefore distracting me from safe driving), then I might consider it. But I just don't buy into the whole "rear facing is boring" argument.  Olivia doesn't know the difference, and neither will your kid.  I also don't think you can justify your own comfort--having to push your seat up a little farther than you'd like--for the life and death safety of your child.

Like I said, there is a whole lot more that I could say.  Instead, I strongly encourage you to do your research!!!!

Also, I suggest going to a car seat check place.  It's usually free, as far as I know.  I've seen lots of kids (both in pictures and in person) strapped in incorrectly.

One Year Doctor's Appointment

We had Olivia's one year doctor's appointment last week.  I know some of this is boring for some of you, but I use my blog often to look back at things, so I like to keep all of the information on here.

And because posts without pictures are boring, I'm going to use the pictures from our little impromptu father's day session. :)

*As posted in her 12 month post, she was 24 pounds, 7 ounces (91%), 31 inches (95%), and has a head circumference of 19 inches (99%).  Her weight percentage went down from 98% at her 9 month appointment.  Her height went up.  It was 91%. Her head remained exactly the same percentage. :)

*The doctor came in and immediately said, "Wow! She's a tall girl."  He kept mentioning that she was going to be tall when she grows up.  I thought it was too early to tell that.  The earliest I heard that you could know something like that was 18 months.  Most say 2 to 3 years.  Either way, she is tall now.  Time will tell if she stays that way.  I've always guessed that she would be around 5' 6" or 5' 7".  She will most definitely be taller than my 5' 3 1/2"!

 

*The funny thing is, we had a different nurse than we've ever had before and when I watched her measure her, I thought she didn't get Olivia's full length.  She didn't draw the line at the bottom of her feet, but rather at the side.  It's not that big of a deal, so I didn't mention it.  I just think it's funny that everyone was going on about how she was so tall, and I don't even think they got the most accurate measurement.

*One of my main questions or concerns was about our switch from formula to almond milk.  I wanted to make sure that I was supplementing with any foods, vitamins, etc that she may need.  He said that since almond milk doesn't have all of the healthy fats that cows milk does, it's good to get that from other places.  His suggestion was avocado.  The ONE and ONLY food she refuses. :(  He also said eggs.  He did say that you can get those healthy fats through topical ways that absorb into the skin.  I have yet to put coconut oil or olive oil on her skin, but that was a recommendation.  I'm just trying to figure out the logistics of that (when, for how long, etc.).

*He said that almond milk was a good choice for her because she is a bigger girl and it's lower in calories.  However, coconut milk has some good qualities (insert doctor-big-word-gibberish) to it that almond milk does not provide, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to be giving her some of that as well.  I did find these little baby pouch smoothie things at Wal-mart that have coconut milk in them, so I am going to use those.  I'm thinking about using coconut milk yogurt sometimes too.  He was very pleased with the fact that I was giving her almond milk yogurt.  He said it sounded like she eats pretty healthy and he was pleased with my choices.

*They have  been very verbal in the past about exactly how much formula I was giving.  She had been taking about 18 ounces of formula, and I was assuming we needed to drop that.  He said that when it comes to almond/coconut milk, there really isn't a set amount she can or cannot have.  The reason why they give limits with cows milk (or dairy formula), is that too much can actually cause the baby to be anemic.  She is currently still drinking around 18 ounces a day, but I am thinking of dropping that some.  The difference is that her formula was 100 calories per 5 ounces.  Almond milk is 60 calories for 8 ounces.  She is definitely a good eater, so she doesn't really need those calories.  However, in the heat I like to make sure she stays hydrated.  She moved from her formula to her almond milk without skipping a beat!  Her 3 sippy cups of milk a day is one of her favorite things!

*The doctor did say that at age 2 we will be able to do some more in depth testing to see if she has outgrown her issues or to help us pin point exactly what strand of protein is causing her the issues.  Apparently this is a test that is usually only done at allergists offices, but since our pediatricians office deals a lot with allergies (and food issues being the root of other issues), the company allows them to do the testing.  Hopefully she will have outgrown it by then, but if not, it will be nice to know exactly what we have to avoid.  There are SO MANY forms that both dairy and soy come in.  To avoid them all is sometimes a challenge.

*That was pretty much it.  As we were wrapping up the appointment he asked "how's her amber necklace working out for her?".  I love that.  I was never recommended to get it by my doctors.  The fact that he knew exactly what it was pleased me.  Most people think it's for decoration.