A year and a half ago...

I had Hailyn! wow time REALLY flies when you have a kid- I must be having lots of fun! While I am aware that I have 300+ pics to download to my computer and blog about all the awesomeness that is our lives, I'm afraid my once a month post about my daughter's monthly updates will have to do. While you may (or may not) be interested, it is the ONLY record I keep of Hailyn and what she's doing- that's right. I do not keep a journal (gasp) I suck at downloading pictures to the computer so you can only IMAGINE my scrapbooking 'skills' or lack thereof, and thus, I plan to 'get around to it' someday, meaning sometime this summer- hopefully.

fun note, March 9 is my stepdad's birthday, April 9th is my brother Dustin's birthday! usually Mothers day lands on the 9th (or around there) so Hailyn share's her monthly markers with some cool dates! Some awesome stuff happening at 18 months?

SHE GOES TO NURSERY FOR THE FIRST TIME ON SUNDAY! I'm SUPER excited, PRAY she isn't clingly and hope she behaves for the teachers and is nice to the other kids- not that she's a clingy brat, she is the sweetest girl ever- but she has a sugar/spice personality (like her mother) oiy! Ryan is beyond excited- he won't have to wrestle her in the library while I teach my enormous 4 year old primary class- and on the days he's working I won't have to drop her off to Ry's parents who were awesome in taking her so I could teach 'in peace'. I am nervous about when I have to drop her off on my own, and she'll be a terror and I'll have to book it to my primary class and pray the nursery teachers don't come find me! eek!

On that note, she is so BIG (not really, she's probably barely 20 lbs still- he cousin Mav is quickly catching up to her size and he turns one on Ry's birthday May 2!) she climbs on EVERYTHING and eats bananas like crazy- that's why we lovingly call her monkey! All of my friends seem to be pregnant or just had babies and I have to be honest- I am newborn hungry! I need I mean NEED to hold a newborn. Like now. So if anyone has one, PLEASE let me borrow? I'll return- maybe;) hehe but really I am getting that ache- Ryan tells me to make the ache go away for a while,thus holding other people's newborns will be my (temoporary) rememdy. Realistically, we know another baby is in our future, just not now- and no, we are not trying-yet:)

Hailyn can now reach stuff off the counter- ahhh!! this is a nightmare! I miss the 'sit the baby in her bumbo and she plays with her towes phase' but honestly I haven't hit a 'bad' age- it's all been awesome- Hailyn's personality is REALLY coming out and she is HILARIOUS! and SO SWEET! We LOVE LOVE LOVE her!!!

but she is into EVERYTHING- the pantry, drawers, cabinets, and I am teaching her not to get into it- and it's not fun!

She had her first ear infection a week ago (and it was a double ear infection- ouchie) not bad- almost 18 months and the first time on antibiotic! goodness immune system! bless you!stay that way!

She LOVES Hurley and is often found in his kennel (pics coming soon! PROMISE)

Her words AND phrases: Paps, Hi Daddy, Pee-Boo (peek a boo- hilarious right?she actually covers her eyes and everything-love it!)jubajuba juba (telling us a story? this goes on for a long time!) I like that! (spoken VERY clearly) this morning taking her MEDICINE 'Mmmm thats goo (good)' LOVE IT! Ugy (ugly? she says this to Hurley and he IS ugly???)dog, doggy, I love that she's speaking in PHRASES now!

her hair is like a bad combover lately and she won't let me put headbands, ponytails, bows, ect on her head- sigh- this is VERY discouraging as she has the cutest accesories EVER!

She doesn't keep her shoes on either though and prefers to be barefoot (I get lots of stares sometimes at the playground- I recenlty found some shoes that DO stay on- holding my breath!)

Overall, we love our crazy, sweet sugar n spice monkey!

17 Months

It's official- I am the WORST at uploading pics of my adorable daughter (And our life, ect ect) buuuut it's time- my daughter is now 17 months old! what the? SEEEERIOUSLY???!! When did this HAPPEN?

She goes to nursery in a month!! (GULP!) I know many moms that LOVE it when the kids go to nursery but I am having severe anxiety- yes, I am aware that I am not the first mom to drop her kid off at nursery, but I teach the 4 year olds- and a LOT of them- and it CAN be tricky and if Hailyn needs me and I'm teaching- well the thought is a bit overwheleming. I want kids to be nice to her- but regardless I'm going off on a tangent.

My baby girl is now a little girl- a smart, funny bubbly little girl! (Let me be mommy mushy here for me!) She now blows kisses (SO CUTE!) and she loooves to snuggle! She saw Happy Feet for like two minutes (the part where they dance) and she now does it often- we call it her maniac dance! (and yes we sing the song and think of Chris Farely while we do so!)

She's a picky eater (like her father- much to my dismay) which may explain why my husbnad and daughter are both skinny- that and they have the greatest metabolisms ever- I want one! share please! but she is porking up a bit- I pretty much slather all her food with butter- yup! I do it! and she's allowed to eat all the chicken nuggets and peanut butter sandwiches she wants. She laughs- a lot. She has almost ALL of her teeth (almost has the fangs and we're hoping that's it!)

I am reminded of how much of children is nature verses nurture- she is a total mix of both of us it's so fun to see.

We LOVE watching her grow up (but I get sort of sad sometimes) I truly need to hold a newborn. I don't know if it's seeing Hailyn answer questions (and TALK! this girl talks and talks and talks- again like her mother;) and run around and dance, I don't know if it's her going to nursery soon or the fact that 30,000 of my friends currently have newborns but I miiiiss the newborn phase- a lot. It was such a tender precious time and I miss it! but it sure is fun right now and I'm having a BLAST with Hailyn- we haven't hit a tough age yet- it keeps getting to be more and more fun!

Gosh we LOVE her!

STOP THE INSANITY!!!!

No really- STOP IT! I have to! for those of you who don't stalk me on facebook (tsk tsk) you have to know I got in an ATV crash on Saturday.We were out at Dumont. I was riding a friends (GULP!) automatic and they don't handle in the sand easily. I didn't want to worry about shifting. I didn't wear my boots beacuse we were going to be doing little hills- well, the machine got away from me and it turned suddenly and sharply. The next thing I know I am flying down a (moderately steep) hill (I give it a 7 out of 10) and I fall off landing on my left side. The machine flipped over me and then stopped after one flip. It did land on my right ankle- I sprained that as badly as you can without breaking it. I also fractured a couple of ribs on my left side and my whole left thigh is completely bruised. Ryan rushed over and checked on me.

I then braved it, after screaming profously, and Ryan shut off the machine, and I got back on and rode back to camp (I know! I'm crazy!) but we did have two nice people ask if we needed a sandrail and I didn't think that was necessary and I didn't want to put anyone out. When I saw I broke my friends machine I started BAWLING hysterically, for seriously an hour. So now I have a machine to fix and hope they forgive me:(

Anyhow, Ryan packed up while I tried to stay put in a chair and take care of a squirmy one year old and then Ryan took Hailyn and I to the ER- the ER at San Marteen campus is AWESOME by the way! She felt bad that at 8 o clock at night we had to take our one year old with us and she gave Hailyn cookies and crutches that I DESPERATELY needed! They were fast too! AWESOME people! I didn't have any broken bones I only need to breathe into a little tuby thing so my lungs don't collapse and ICE my ankle- it's so bad. Wear boots people! I'm an idiot!







Regardless I am SO GRATEFUL it wasn't worse! Sunday was bad- I was throwing up and Ryan had to carry me most places but by Monday I could at least semi-use crutches. I am so grateful Ryan was able to go to the ER with me to entertain Hailyn and he was home Sunday as well. I am still teaching and my students have been AMAZING with helping me and trying to work hard- I'm so proud of them!

Hailyn has been the hardest part to deal with- I can't pick her up easily, she falls off the couch or whatever I have to just watch and it's hard putting her in her crib. but I have realized how AWESOME people are! I have had so many offers to watch her, bring in dinner, a candy poster from one of my students that melted my heart, and just feeling the love and generosity and well wishes of so many- it reminds me of how truly blessed I am and how grateful I am to have such wonderful support and love in my life! I was truly blessed too- it really could have been worse!

In the meantime, myt INSANITY training is put on hold- and I am BUMMED! I lost three lbs in a week and I was kicking butt! grrr! this is frusterating! in the meantime, I am busting into my candy board poster, because chocolate makes everything a little sweeter...

INSANITY!

Ok, some of you have heard of the company Beachbody- I did a profram called turbo jam after I had Hailyn and it kicked my butt- and there were five programs on there- but never any schedule so I'd get bored.

Enter P90X- extreme fast interval training, and I plan on doing this later (a lady in my ward has it- we're going to 'swap' after two months)

Ok done back tracking, enter INSANITY

Interval training is done at moderate excercise with bursts of intense training- INSANITY is EXTREME excercise with intervals of MODERATE excercise for 'rest'. That's why its called INSANITY- the workouts are HARD and the results are EXTREME- and AMAZING! Ryan works with a guy who is now a coach for Beachbody (we got INSANITY before they met) but he is 52 and in the best shape of his life- he has before and after pics of himself on his business cards and WOW!

INSANITY is a 13 disc at home workout routine and all you need is yourself. I did the fitness test this morning expecting it to be fairly easy and wow, I alsmot threw up- and I haven't even started the workouts yet! I figured it's only 45 minutes, I can suffer 45 minutes of anything. Again, the FIT TEST was only 25 minutes and I nearly threw up! I'd be a bit skeptical except I have had a girlfriend het unreal results with P90X and then meeting this INSANITY guy- and seeing results- yea! well, we ordered it (GOOD deal online!) and this was Day 1.

This program is not easy, it is not moderate even it is EXTREME and the results are EXTRREME! I'm excited that all I need is me, Shaun T (the instructor) and some water and BAM! it's go time! I LOOOOOVE how they have the 60 days mapped out on a chart- do this on day 1, this on day 2- I NEED that structure or I falter and take the 'easy route'. I am taking the fitness test every 2 weeks and am going t weigh myself every Sunday morning (those are rest days) so six days a week for two months I am going to be kicking and screming and sweating and crying, and ready to kick my butt into overdrive!

I'm counting on you ladies to encourage me- and I will post before and after pics (GULP!) I took the before pics this morning and I was disgusted with them- so we'll see about the after- I can't wait to see the results!

If my hubby nearly dies doing it I don't feel so bad when I nearly die- he's in AMAZING shape (he has to be for work) and it kicks HIS butt!

Getting Back in the Groove...

I have a perfectly clean and organized home. I have bills paid, laundry washed and put away, groceries on hand, and no errands to run. Then I wake up and reality hits me right in the head.

I have been accused of needing to have a lot to do at once from a very early age. My mother always worried thatI would fill every moment of my day up with something then if something were to go wrong I'd be in a bind. Well, she's right. I am the sort of person that thrives on being busy all the time.

In high school I had a bazillion activities including student council, ap classes, various clubs, church, track, yada yada yada.

College same thing. I took 15 credits my first semester and then 18 the next. I then amped it up when I got married a week before finals (yup!) and turned in assignments at midnight before my wedding just to make deadlines. Teachers were amazed (we didn't go on our honeymoon to Hawaii until the end of May- I HIGHLY recommend waiting a month to take your honeymoon by the way! It was AWESOME!)

I then started working 50 hours a week as a teachers assistant while getting my Montessori certification (that's another degree essesntially) and BAM! I took 24 credits a semester to finish my BA in English- I graduated early.

My laid back, easy going husband was worried. Did he marry a freak of nature? On our honeymoon I planned out all the awesome fun spots to go, the best times to go, ect. I am a planner (sidenote, I always wanted to be a wedding planner and a travel agent- if you ever need help searching for deals in these areas, I'm your gal!) he asked can we just hang out on the beach?

the reason I bring this up is because this is my nature, to be busy all the time. Recently I finished a year and a half writing project- something I've been mulling over for the past 2-3 years, and it's done- a novel 51,000 words. I need to edit a bit, and I've written and re-written thousands of times, but its done. I feel weird. I need to edit some more! Its constantly in the back of my mind.

I'm struggling getting 'back on track'. I have lots to do, but I'm out of sorts a bit. My house needs a good deep cleaning, I hae a journaling/scrapbooking goal to complete and I also need to start my workout regime, but I'm sort of in neutral right now. Do I need to just recharge my batteries a bit? Will the ferocious beast come rise again? I don't know. Maybe she just needs a couple weeks 'off'.

I am unbalanced right now- I need to get back in a crazy routine- I function better with a million things to do! I'm going to go nuts this summer!

I WILL ACOOMPISH MY GOALS THIS YEAR! but it is only the beginning of February...
On another note, I think I'm wired this way so we could survive Ryan's rookie school! seriously, 2-5 hours of sleep a night for five months, ironing, studying, packing his lunches, buying the groceries he needed (that's a chore when you have to feed your hubby 5,000 calories a day) and take care of an infant turned toddler WHILE running a preschool? Ok, maybe I am crazy- but I love crazy. Crazy works for me. In the meantime, maybe my scrapbooking project, where I need to scan about a million photos, can wait til tomorrow...

I start INSANITY training monday- it's intense! 60 day workout- 1,000 calories burned an hour- my hubby the ff rookie school surviver said it was intense- it's called insanity for a reason- but maybe that will be my new project.
I have to get back in the groove- I'm losing my mind!

This 'big' girl...

So, my beautiful daughter turned 15 months in January and between Ryan's graduation and working, well, she just had her checkup two weeks ago... (I know two weeks late! ahh!)
So here are the stats: she is freaking tall! 70-95% (31 and a hald inches! sheesh!)
her head- I dont remember circumfrance but she's 25-50% there and weight.
Ahhh the weight- she's a skinny mini- 20 lbs! yep, she hasn't gained one single ounce since her 12 month check up three months ago. She barely qualifies to sit in her front facing car seat.

Regardless, the doc wants me to fatten her up a bit. So with Ryan eating THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS of calories a day, I now need to fatten hailyn up- but not with junk. Uhhh ok. I'm thinking of adding Ryan's bulk protein supplement to her milk (JOKE OF COURSE!) but she is eating lots of things I can slab butter on! I am the only one in this house who can't eat Doritos and Zingers any time I want and it SUCKS! (not really cus Zingers are gross to me) but the same idea...

I want my hubby and my daughters metabolisms! it's not fair! On another note, here are some funny things about my sweet 'growing' girl:

She is now 16 months old today- awesome, I'm a month behind- ok so here's a combo of things she's doing!

She HAS to feed herself- HAS to! Curse and a blessing. It has resorted in me taking off her shirt (cus she takes of bibs!) so she can learn to 'feed' herself.She loves anyhitng that makes a huge mess, like black beans...another note she HAS to have two of everything- one in each hand- even if she's not eating it- perhaps for balance?

She has learned to say 'no' but fortunately she says it only when she's full...so that's something right?

She DOES say thank you! so cute! (the doctor asked if she's saying any words other than mama and dada and uh yeah- this girl is a talker like her mama!) she also says doggy, up, Jen, paps, papa, and a few others I can't remember right now...

she is RUNNING! it is the cutes thing I've ever seen!

she is still sucking those two fingers- she has since birth

she is actually pretty obedient- teaching her not to get nto ryan's contact cases he left under the sink- but still...

She's really only difficult when she's tired and hungry- same as any human being! she's so sweet 99% of the time!

She loves to do what the preschool kids are doing. She loves to eat lunch with the kids- I cut up a corndog for her and she wants to sit with them. So funny!

She is super indepedant- she loves to twist caps on and off bottles, match lids to containers, open and close boxes, she even holds CRAYONS now and she'll lay on her stomach (like the preschool kids do!) and 'color' on a paper- this makes me want to cry. She wants to be like the big kids she sees- and even though she ony sees them briefly (She naps in the morning so I can teach peacefully and she's up in the afternoon) she still catches things here and there- at lunchtime or whatever. I'm lucky to have students who are such good role models to her!

I can't believe at her next appoiontment time she will be going to nursery too! this makes me want to cry a bit! I cant believe how fast it's going! slow down a little please! but she is turning into such an amazing little girl! I just LOVE her! sometimes I have to remind myself she is only 15- ok 16 months now- and she amazes me every day. She asks where daddy is when he is working and I tell her he's working, and she understands- mamas talk to your babies! they understand so much (more than I ever dreamed of so early on!) Ok, I'm a long winded mama but this is a lot for my 'journaling' ect and since this is going to be a makeshift baby book someday- bear with me!

Here she is sampling a lemon- she hated it- and yet kept going back for more- weirdo!





see? she has to sit at the chair with the other kids-

I love these two like crazy!!!

This past month...

Ok, so apparently I am updating my blog about once a month- I PROMISE to do better (I say that as I have 8,000 pictures on my camera and yet, I am not downloading them yet- what gives you ask? lost camera cord- again!) sorry!!! So here's what we've been up to:

Hailyn turned 15 months!(Jan 9th) and yes she will be 16 months in a week

She STILL weighs 20 lbs- Ryan took her to the doc and she is 32 inches tall (I KNOW!) and in the 95% for heigt and in the 5-10% for weight- eek! she didn't gain a pound in three months! I was freaking out- and I swear I feed my baby and I PROMISE I am trying to fatten her up! She had about a two week spell of umm to put in nicely, a lot of messy diapers and I think she just lost whatever weight she was gaining- I am feeding her of course still fruit and veggies and also corndogs, cookies, peanut butter, and anything with butter- muffins, toast. She is eating whatever we eat (only I try and 'fatten' up what I can!) and I think she just has her dad's metabolism (grrr!) I swear I am trying to fatten up my hubby and my daughter and really, I am trying to LOSE weight people! this is like the worst 'support' environment for that- whatever. I watch Ryan make a homemade cheesecake and he and Hailyn enjoy- grrr! Ok, enough about weight...

Hailyn is saying 'thank you' (a LOT!) and please, she loves to sit at the preschool table with her big girl cup and she even is holding crayons and pencils and making marks on the paper! yes I am proud;)She is also sayinf 'doogy' (she called him UGLY btw the other day- HILARIOUS!)

OH we have our old dog 'Mikey' back- his name is now Hurley (LOST FANS-btw it premeires TONIGHT!) and he is AWESOME! Crazy story- we found another home for him, they found another home for him (we just weren't ever home!) then some guy found him wandering around, took him to the vet- they never changed the microchip and viola! they called us- we were (well I was ultra weary) at first because let's face it- he would be my job and my responsibilty- and he needed to be kid freindly- he is AMAZING with kids- he and Hailyn are BEST friends (she goes straight to him after nap time and chases him around and laughs- she also torments him incessentaly and he takes it- poor Hurley;) and he is SO CHILL! a WONDERFUL surprise and we're happy to have him! (I do not like how gassy he is- it is MUCH better now that we give him some pepcid AC here and there!) hehe

Ryan started working his regular shifts and he LOVES his job- I LOVE having a hubby that LOVES his job- it makes life so sweet and it melts my heart seeing how happy he is

we are trying to adjust to his new schedule- ie Hailyn and missing daddy- she is wrteched the days he's working and he comes home and she is an angel- what the? ok so Ryan thinks it's cake for me all the time when really, he's the cause of her anguish some days (and mine;)

I am super busy with the preschool- my kids are TAKING OFF like CRAZY! I LOVE watching it and being a part of it!

I am SO CLOSE to finishing my novel- details to come later- I plan on being DONE DONE hopefully by thurs/fri (the main reson for lack of blogging/uploading pics)

I am going to be starting my Hertiage Makers books soon- as part of my 2010 goals to organize photos/journal scrapbook family geneaology ect.

I am teaching the four year olds in primary and I have the greatest class EVER! I LOVE serving in Primary- seriously- it's the BEST calling in the church HANDS DOWN! I LOVE my kiddos!

I NEED to start advertising for school next year...

I'm already kicking off my goals for the year (I don't do resolutions- I set goals and reasonable ways of accomplishing them and it makes my year so fantastic and memorable!)
So that's been january!! I plan on posting more- uploading pics soon- especially about my NOVEL and finishing that as well as my scrapbooking/organzing photos projects

PS I am starting Insanity training next week- in March I am also adding P90X to insanity- watch out 2010!;)