Food Coma

Is it possible to still be in a food coma the day after Thanksgiving? I don't know what is wrong with me! I am so tired that I swear, if I didn't know any better, I would say I felt like I was in the first trimester of pregnancy again! *Just for the record, I'm NOT. The thought of being pregnant again right now makes me want to jump out of a 10th story window.*

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving here in the Norton house! Last year, we started the tradition of having our own little holiday and I love it. Yes, we miss our families, but if we still lived at home we wouldn't have the option to spend a holiday just the three of us. I cannot wait to get home to them for Christmas, but let me tell you, there is something to be said for a quiet, stress free, just the three of us holiday! There was a point during dinner where I just felt overwhelmed with happiness ( and no, I had not just taken my Welbutrin) ;). I felt so lucky to be sitting there with my little family. I just felt so loved. It doesn't sound like a big thing when I actually write it down, but my heart was completely full. You can't ask for much more than that!



Look at my belly!

Andrew sat up on the table with us in his bouncy seat. I think he like the new view. Lots more to discover! Much to my mother's disappointment, we did not have a full turkey. She about fell over when she found out I wasn't cooking a "real" turkey or stuffing for her son-in-law and if she didn't have her own boys to cook for, I'm pretty sure she would have taken the next flight out. She made sure to let him know that she will be cooking a proper turkey for him over Christmas. The two of us do not need a huge bird, plus HE picked it out! We did have homemade mashed potatoes, mum, don't worry. And gravy, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, biscuits, pecan pie, and apple crisp.

Such a big boy sitting up! His head is still a big wobbly, but he's doing great!

We spent the rest of the day decorating the house for Christmas, which makes me even more happy! It's my favorite time of the year! All that's left to do is put the lights up outside and sit back and watch the Iron Bowl (Alabama/Auburn game) ROLL TIDE!

I melt

D-Day

Ahhh.. my first private blog post. It's actually kind of freeing to know exactly who will be reading this. I think I'll like it.

The word Deployment has been coming up an awful lot in our house lately. No, my husband's unit isn't set to deploy for another three years or so, but he's planning on volunteering (yes, you read that right, volunteering) to go with another unit that is going in 2011. Let me explain...

When Trey joined the Army, he couldn't wait to deploy. He wanted to get out there and help. To accomplish something meaningful in his life. I knew he was all about going over when he left for Basic, so I've had a long time to prepare myself.. if that is even possible. When he finished with BOLC II, we were given a list of places to pick from to be stationed at. Ft. Bliss appealed to him because they did the type of stuff he wanted to do (I clearly don't know what that was) and the unit was at the beginning of a deployment and he thought he would go and join them. When we got here, he was told that they were coming home early and he would be part of (or Commander) of Rear D (the people left behind from the deployment). SO not what he wanted to be doing. He had resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn't be deploying for a while and was so disappointed that he was even contemplating getting out when his 3 years was over. That was until...

Someone informed him that he didn't have to wait for his unit. He could volunteer to go with anyone else that was deploying. From anywhere and at anytime. He started talking about that a month or two ago and I really was just brushing it off. He kept going back and forth. Yes, he still wanted to go. But Andrew changed everything. He couldn't (and still can't) bear the thought of leaving him for a year. What am I, chop liver?? ;)
Over the last couple of weeks, I put my foot down. I couldn't take the indecisiveness. I'm a planner, which goes great with the Army lifestyle, doesn't it?? I hate not knowing about anything in the near future and will obsess over it.

After lots of conversations, we both came to the conclusion that it will be best for him to go. Yes, I'm willingly sending the love of my life away to war. Am I crazy? Maybe. But I also adore and respect him and know that he needs to go. Just like when I agreed to him joining in the first place. I knew that if he didn't at least commit a few years to it that he would spend the rest of his life regretting not doing something that he'd always wanted to do. Same here. This is why he joined in the first place, number one. Two.. it's going to help accomplish our financial goals. No, I'm not being selfish. We both want ALL of our debt paid off. In his eyes, he doesn't have the option to walk away from the Army even if he wanted to until all of our debt is paid off.. or most of it. I can tackle most of it during a deployment. Third.. it's as simple as knowing that for his career, he needs to do this. He can't go to Captain's Career Course without a deployment patch. Yes, people do that.. I'm sure it happens a lot. I, personally, don't think there is anything wrong with that. My husband's pride will never let him do that.

Am I scared? A little. I don't want to spend a year away from him. I don't want him to miss a year of Andrew's life. There will be a lot of firsts in there that Trey won't get to experience, but thankfully, Andrew won't remember any of it. I don't want anything to happen to him. I also believe though, with all of my heart, that when it's your time, it's your time. God has our lives mapped out. Nothing we can do or not do will change that. I know I've mentioned this before, but he had a gun put to his head during a robbery when he worked at Arby's. He could have just as easily died right there.. doing something he hated.. as he could doing something he will be proud of.

If this really does happen, I'll be going home for the year. I always said I wouldn't do that, but again, Andrew changes everything. There's nothing to keep me here and all the reasons in the world to go home. I have the opportunity to give him a chance to spend a whole year around family. For him to get to know them and vice versa. Once he starts going to school, I won't be able to do that. I want to take advantage of that time while I can. 

 After the holidays he'll start asking questions, and as long as they say they need him, he'll be going. Of course, this could change a million or trillion times before he actually goes, if he does at all. They could tell him, no, they don't need him, right? But as of now, he said to just plan on him leaving so that's what I'm doing. I'd rather prepare myself and then get a pleasant surprise than not be ready at all. I'm being as supportive as I can be. I'm encouraging him because I know that's what he wants from me. I also made sure he knows that I would be A-OK with him staying as well.. HA! In the long run, he needs to know that I'm okay with it and that he won't have to worry about me. I may be kicking and screaming on the inside at times, but he will never see that.

I'll be fine. He'll be fine. We'll get through it and it will go by fast. I've never been more proud of him.

A First

Dear Andrew,

You brought tears to my eyes today! (your mama is a little emotional, but you'll learn that, don't worry!)

You have a little play mat that you love to lay it. It has all kinds of fun, bright stuff hanging down for you to look at. Yesterday I noticed that you were playing special attention to a little spider that hangs down. When I put you back down there today, I saw you reaching for Mr. Spider. I put you closer to him and you reached out to grab a toy for the first time! You have been laying there for about 30 minutes now, batting at him, smiling, cooing and laughing at him.

You are making my heart SO VERY happy!

But I am questioning if you are going to be anything like me. You are terrified of your sweet, cute little dog named Scout that even says things like, "I love you, Andrew", but you're obsessed with a spider. Great! I hate bugs.

~ I've been taking down all of your email addresses. Will probably switch to private sometime tomorrow. If you just left your email address without letting me know who you are, and there's not even a blog link for me to click and get back to you, I probably won't be adding you. Sorry! ~

Going Private

I've been debating this for so long, and have made the decision to make my blog private. It's really been on my mind for about a week or so, but after a friend talked to me about a book she read called The Predator, I knew I had to do it! Felt like a sign... yes I believe in that kind of crap. I just don't feel comfortable anymore with pictures of Andrew out there for anyone to see.

I know that will make it hard for you girls to follow me, and I hate that, but I hope you'll remember to check on me every once in a while! If not, I'll nag you mercilessly with comments ;)  Please send me your email if you'd like to continue to read about this little life of mine.

I'm going to make the big switch by the end of the week.

It Took Me 6 Days to Write This

This post will be a little hard for me to write. Well, not necessarily to write, but to click that Publish Post button on the bottom. I've had so much on my plate lately and all of these things I've been trying to sort through in my mind. They haven't necessarily gotten better per say, but I'm coming to terms with everything. I'm not putting all of this out there to get sympathy.. I don't do well with sympathy really... I just want to be honest with my blog and not just write about the "unicorns and glitter stuff". I don't usually write about the bad stuff.. who wants to look back and remember the bad? Not I! But this is all big stuff and a real part of my life that I'll remember anyways..

I had a pretty hard time after Andrew was born. I wouldn't necessarily classify it as Post Partum depression, I think it was just coincidental that life decided to throw up on me at that point. After a couple weeks of feeling out of control of my emotions, sad and overwhelmed like I've never felt before, I decided to bring it up to my doctor at my 6-week checkup. She agreed with me that I have a tad bit of depression after talking for a while and we decided to start me on a prescription for Welbutrin. At first, I was ashamed. I've always been able to brush things off my shoulders and look at the bright side. I would definitely say that I am a glass half full kind of girl. But those hormones after pregnancy are no joke. I think too many people try to ignore symptoms of depression, but if more people would just talk about it, maybe it wouldn't be such a hard thing for women to admit. It's better to realize you have a problem before it gets out of control and you start having thoughts about harming yourself or your baby. It doesn't have to get to that point. So, on with my point... on top of those crazy hormones:


He looks how I have been feeling!

I was feeling homesick like never before. I was dealing with being away from family before Andrew came along. Sure, I missed home and got down about it from time to time, but now I have a son. My parents and Trey's parents have a grandson and it makes me incredibly sad that they are missing out on all of his little milestones. I have a very real sense of guilt. I know that is irrational. Nobody makes me feel guilty, I do it to myself. I feel like I'm taking a special time in life away from my mom. The thought of Andrew only seeing extended family a few times a year (if Trey decides to make a career out of the Army) tears me up. I need to get these feelings under control and I feel like time *and medicine* is helping. The whole "bloom where you are planted" thing is starting to really sink in with me. Sure, I would LOVE to be around our family and friends all the time, but I can't waste life away wishing for something that isn't possible for now. I'm going to make the best out of the situation we are in and appreciate the opportunities we wouldn't have had otherwise!

I second, triple, and quadruple guessed myself about sharing this, but again, I'm sure we're not the only ones going through it in this economy! We came to the realization that we have to let go of our house in SC. We've had renters in it since we left, but 1) the county raised our taxes by an ungodly amount because it is an investment property now. That starts in January and there is NO WAY we can afford the increase. 2) The renters helped with the situation of course, but they decided they wanted out last month. So, we're barely holding on. We couldn't rent the house for as much as it will be going up anyways. Best case scenario - it will sell in the next 2 months. We dropped the price drastically, so we'll see. Second best - the bank will approve a short sale which we're in the process of going for. That won't hurt our credit quite so badly as a foreclosure would. Hopefully, it won't get to that point! This was all very hard for me to come to terms with. It's embarrassing, ya know!? I know, though that it's not something we could control. We'll do whatever we have to do and move on from there. Safe to say that we won't be buying a home again until we are done with the Army and can settle somewhere!



Not a happy camper!



Remember this post and this one? About my Uncle Ronnie who had a scary time with seizures? He ended up being put on seizure medication for what was supposed to be 6 months. Well a couple months ago he had another seizure. While on medication. Not supposed to happen! He went in for more tests and to make a very long story very short... turns out he had a tumor on his brain. He had surgery last week and they were able to remove 95% of it. It is stage 3 cancer, but the doctor seems to be pretty optimistic about his survival chances. He will be starting 6 weeks of chemo and radiation soon, every day except weekends and holidays. I've been a praying fool for this man lately and I truly believe in my heart that everything will end up okay, he has a lot more life to live! It's been such a scary time and I wish more than anything that I could be in Massachusetts with my family.. it's been hard and scary for me. I can't even imagine what they are going through. I'm very thankful that I have such a tight knit and positive thinking family that will make the best out of any situation they are put it. I know they are all helping each other through it.

I know I am putting all of our dirty laundry out there for all to read, and I feel slightly crazy for doing so. But I wanted to be real. If anyone of you may be going through the any of the same things and feelings, I wanted you to see that you're not alone. If you are dealing with depression, it CAN get better. Take some time to invest in yourself. Talk to a doctor. Make a stronger effort to focus on the things you have in life to be thankful for. It helps and there are ALWAYS things you can feel blessed about. You may have to dig deep and start with small things, but the positive thinking will come easier to you, I promise!
I'm completely aware that I sound like an After-School Special. Sorry about that.

Remember to smile!

*Before you make your Shutterfly cards...*

Ahhhh I almost just had a heart attack!!

After spending.. ohhh... an hour probably getting our Christmas cards made on Shutterfly, I excitedly click checkout. Head on over to my email and copy that code they gave me to get my cards FO FREE, paste it onto the enter codes here box, and SAY WHAT?? Code does not apply, says Shutterfly.

I start sweating a bit and try to click around and figure out what's going on. I was about to give up and planned to call customer service tomorrow morning and give them a piece of my mind when I saw something up top that says something about click here to chat live with a Customer Representative. So I clickety clicked away and started chatting with Veda (in America, I'm sure) and our convo went a little something like this:

Thank you for choosing Shutterfly. A representative will be with you shortly.

You are now chatting with 'Veda'
Veda: Hello, welcome to Shutterfly! How may I help you today?
Visitor: I had a code emailed to me that is supposed to get me 50 free Christmas cards. It's not working, saying that I have already used it, but I haven't.
Veda: I am glad to help you with that.
Visitor: okay thanks
Veda: Have you placed 5x7 stationery cards in your cart?
Visitor: Yes
Veda: May I have your Shutterfly email address?
Visitor: sure.. nortonj07@hotmail.com
Veda: Thanks. Please give me a moment while I look that up.
Veda: I find in your account that you have the credit for "50 free 5x7 flat stationery cards " or "50 free 5x7 folded greeting cards ".
Veda: I see in your cart you have 5x7 photo cards to which the credit cannot be applied.
Visitor: I think I was sent the wrong code because when I entered it in, it gave me 20% off
Visitor: Why can't the credit be applied?
Veda: Photo cards are different from stationery cards.
Veda: Since you have already placed the cards in the cart, I do not want to trouble you in starting the new project all over again.
Veda: As one time accommodation, I can swap the credit.
Visitor: So the 50 free cards doesn't apply to the photo Christmas cards?
Visitor: Ohhh thank you so much!
Veda: Please give me a moment.
Visitor: I know of a lot of bloggers that are a little confused about this
Veda: Please give me a moment.
Visitor: Sure, thank you
Veda: I have swapped the credit in your account.
Veda: Please sign out and isgn in back to view the credit.
Visitor: Okay is there a code I need to know?
Veda: *Please sign out and sign in back to view the credit.
Visitor: How will I view the credit when I sign back in?
Veda: You need not enter any promotion code to avail the credit.
Veda: You can check your current special offers by going to the "My Shutterfly" page, scrolling to the bottom, and clicking the "View my special offers" link.
Visitor: Great, thank you very much for your help!
Veda: You're welcome!
Veda: Is there anything else I can help you with today?
Visitor: No, that's all
Veda: Thank you for chatting with us. We value your feedback. Please click the “Close” button at top right to answer a few questions about your experience with us today.
Visitor: I will

I'm sorry to say that I didn't trust little miss Veda and copied the whole convo just in case it didn't really work and I had to talk with someone else. No need though because I signed back in and turns out she wasn't just trying to get rid of me. My account showed a zero balance. Plus, Shutterfly emailed me a copy of our conversation.

So, make sure you take the time to go about making your precious photo card (which I want mailed to me for giving y'all the heads up.. and just because you love me) and then chat away with HOPEFULLY Veda! She can't say I didn't warn her about y'all!

You're welcome! Merry Christmas!

An Update and a Recipe

My one demanding and slightly annoying ( I kid, mum) reader has requested a blog update. Not that I don't talk to her 3 times a day or anything with every single update of my life imaginable... but here it is nonetheless.

I've been super busy with Andrew. Not busy enough that I couldn't find 15 spare minutes in my day to write a blog post, but the thing is, I don't feel like I have anything interesting enough to write about. What I have to keep in mind though is that I want to be able to look back on this and maybe print out all the posts about pregnancy and his first year and put each of them into a little book of some sort. So while everyone may not find it extremely interesting, I'll be thankful I have it one day! Plus, it's always stuff a Grammy (a.k.a Mizzy from here on out) will enjoy :)

Andrew had his 2 month appointment last week. He's a growing boy (11lbs 10oz and 22.8 inches long) and the doctor was very happy with his development. The shots where horrid. Everyone was lined up to take their kids in for immunizations so for about 45 minutes I heard each and every child screaming their lungs out. I felt like I was in line for the electric chair. He of course hated them, cried so hard his little face turned purple, but forgot all about it as soon as I picked him up.. he then just wanted to eat of course!
We're getting into somewhat of a routine. He's a much happier baby now that he is on formula (yes, he loved it. Had one taste of that and wanted nothing to do with my breast milk) and I'm a much, much happier - if not more broke -  mama! Now I know when he is crying he is either hungry or tired and for the most part it is just that easy.

Last Saturday there were not many good games on (read Alabama had a bye week) so we went out to New Mexico to the La Union pumpkin patch. Clearly Andrew will never remember this and it was just a trip for me to take pictures!


Andrew's first pumpkin patch 10-30-10

Trey had a long weekend this week because of Freedom Crossing (our amazing PX area and is like a mini outside mallish type thing) opening. We went on Friday afternoon. They had all kind of vendors, live music, and beer on the sidewalk... can't ask for much more. Oh  - wait - yes I can. This week is only a 3 day work week for him. He gets Thursday and Friday off for Veterans Day. Yipee!

Perfection



All of my teams lost this weekend... Bama, Carolina and the Patriots. Booooo.

And lastly, I wanted to share a new recipe I tried tonight. It's nothing special, but sure is delish! Perfect for a cold night or a football game!

Italian Sloppy Joes

• 1 lb Italian Sausage
• 1 lb hot Italian Sausage
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped onion (I left that out)
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 T minced fresh parsley (I used 1T of not so fresh parsley)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp fennel seed
• 8 to 10 rolls (I used hoagies)
• 3/4 cup shredded mozz cheese ( I forgot to use this, but have plenty for leftovers so I'll have to remember tomorrow night!)

1. In a large saucepan (really large) cook sausage, garlic, green pepper, and onion over medium heat until sausage is cooked, drain.

2. Add tomato sauce and seasonings, bring to a boil (there was not enough liquid in mine to bring to a boil, but still good). Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Scoop some of that yummy goodness on to your bun and sprinkle with cheese. Toast your bun for even more deliciousness.

Enjoy!

Now it's time for me to say good night. That little angel will be up before I know it wanting to be fed! *yes, I know babies shouldn't sleep on their tummies. But mine does when I'm watching him.. and he loves it..so there*

The One Where I Piss Off Le Leche League

This post may be a little TMI for some so proceed at your own risk.

My boobs are officially my own again after 11 whole months. I'm done pumping. Completely over it.
It wasn't a decision I came to easily. I've been strug-A-lin for a few weeks now, but didn't want to admit defeat. Mainly, I didn't want to feel like a failure. I finally came to terms with the fact that this just wasn't for me when Trey woke up the other night and came out to find silent little baby tears strolling down my cheeks as I'm pumping quietly in the dark.
Ouch Charlie is all I have to say! Pumping full time is not so easy! Over the past 2 weeks I've been having serious problems. My nipples (Lord I can't believe I said nipples on my blog) would start to bleed and crack so I would spread the pumps out relieve them, which in turn would cause clogged ducts. Those really hurt like a mother, let me tell you! It was this big viscious cycle and was making me miserable. I dreaded the every few hours that I had to do it. I was just plain bitter by the middle of this week.
After a long discussion, we both decided that it just wasn't the best thing to do anymore. Breastfeeding should be this wonderful, rewarding experience and THIS TIME, it just wasn't for me. I'll try again with the next kid.
I don't buy in to the whole idea that because I'm now giving my baby formula that he won't be as smart or healthy as breastfed babies. I know it's most ideal to breastfeed, but Andrew will not be inferior because of it. Trust me, I know this for a fact. How you ask? I was breastfed. My youngest brother was not. I was mediocre at best in school and didn't try very hard. My brother... such a smart kid and has a great head on his shoulders! I've been worried because I know switching over is hard on their little tummies and he has been a little fussy with it up until today. My mum made me feel much better though when she asked my brother if he remembers her switching, and he has no recollection ;)

I know people are very passionate about breastfeeding, but please don't use this as a forum to be ugly to me about it. I've already had my share of meanie pants comments about it, but KNOW that I am doing the right thing for my baby and I. Trust me, I'm a much happier mum and that's important too!

~ 2 Months ~

I'm a day late Andrew, but you are now 2 months old!! I can't believe it (I'm pretty sure I'm going to be saying that every month for the next year and then every year for the rest of his life. Just so you know.)



Welp, he's slouching in two months and I guess I need to sit the dog the same each time to get the full effect, but at least he doesn't look petrified this time!

Andrew, you have changed so much this month! You are growing like a sprout right before my eyes and I love watching the new things you discover every day.

• You are definitely more independent than you were last month. You'll lay on your own for a few minutes on your own here and there. You LOVE your play mat! I think it's so funny to see you looking at all the bright colors and smiling at the toys like they are your best friends and you are so glad to see them again. You also like your bouncy seat now, which is very convenient for me as I can get a few things done here and there now. All this said, these things really only buy me about 10 minutes tops and you are ready for me again. Yes, I love you too, but seriously?
• You are such a little piglet.. you're eating about 5 ounces every 2 hours (except at night), but there are some changes coming I'm afraid. We are in the middle of switching you over to formula (no hateful comments please) and you are not too thrilled with it. You will get used to it though!! More on that for another post.
• You sleep so well most of the time! You are ready to go down around 7:30 most nights and don't wake up to eat again until 3:00-3:30. One night this week I woke up at 4 and I still hadn't heard a peep from you. I panicked and made sure you were still alive. You were clearly and woke up at 4:30. That was a fluke!
• You smile ALL the time! You seem to be such a happy baby and will smile anytime someone smiles in your face. It's the most precious thing and you look a lot like your Grampy Yetton when you do. My favorite time of the day is when I come and get you out of your crib in the morning and you smile like you are SO glad to see me! Me and daddy actually fight over that time :)
• Your hair is filling in just a little bit where you were bald and it's still dark. Your daddy wants you to have blond hair like him, but I think you will be gorgeous with dark hair and blue eyes!
• You've grown out of all of your newborn clothes and you're now in 0-3 month. We had you weighed last week and you were 10lb 13oz and 22 inches long. We have your 2 month well baby appointment on this coming up Monday though, so we'll see how much more you've grown!

You are the light of your dad and I's life! I NEVER imagined that we would feel the way we do no matter how many people told us we would. It's a love that can't even be described and I never knew what we were missing until we had you!

Back to My Old Self

The past *almost* two months feel like an absolute blur to me. The first month I'm sure I was running off of pure adrenaline and nerves. This month I've been trying to get into a groove with this whole mommy thing and I feel like I've done a great job. Now I'm trying to incorporate being a wife in there and spending some time on myself.

I fail a lot of the times still in being the kind of wife I want to be, but I'm working at it! I want to take care of my husband, not because I think it's my duty (I'd never survive as a 1950s kind of wife) but because it makes me feel good to know that I'm helping him when he works so hard to provide for our family. He allows me to stay home with our son, plus I love the look of appreciation when I do something a little out of the way to make his life easier.
My first step is spending a little more time in the kitchen. A little less frozen meal to stick in the oven and a little more home cooked goodness. For instance, tonight we are having a pot roast (never mind the fact that it's from Costco and all I have to do is boil it for 20 minutes in its bag of juices.. hey.. it's REALLY good), but I AM making mashed potatoes that ARE NOT from a box. And not just plain ol' mashed potatoes. It's a new recipe I'm trying called "Fancy Mashed Potatoes". Mmmhmmmm..
I'll probably slack a little for the rest of the week, but Sunday I'm trying Apple Stuffed Chicken Breasts.. we'll see about that one! If it's any good I'll post the recipe.
I know he would LOVE it if I were to get up a little early and make him a smoothie for breakfast, but let's just take it one step at a time here. I'd love for him to get up earlier and make me a cup o joe. This should work both ways, right??

I'm trying to take better care of myself as well. I've done better with getting up and putting some effort into my appearance. You know.. like an actual outfit, possibly a little makeup, and maybe even brush my teeth? It does wonders for my mood! And yesterday, I took the big first step and started a new workout plan. I dread workout time every. single. day, but hopefully my body will start to thank me in a few weeks! I have a wedding to be in in March (my SIL is getting married and I'm the MOH... thank you for giving me another reason to HAVE to fly home) and I'd love to be able to rock that little dress! There's my motivation.

So there you have it, this will all be keeping me a busy little bee, not to mention playing, changing diapers, feeding, pumping, repeat. And here I am.. still finding the time to blog! Wish me luck :)

Christmas Fevah!!

Trey has the day off from work today! Don't ask me why, but all of 2-3 does and I'm not complaining! We were planning on going to the pumpkin patch to get some sweet pics of Andrew, but good thing I looked online before we drove out there - they are closed during the week! So instead, what are we doing? Andrew taking a cold winters nap (I know it's probably 80 something degrees out there.. roll with me, okay?), Trey is playing football on the PS3, and I am daydreaming about Christmas! We may or may not have just been singing Christmas songs (Holly Jolly Christmas and I'll Be Home For Christmas) together and both got a little giddy. What better time to start looking at designs for Christmas Cards. Little Andrew now gives me an excuse to do the cute picture cards :)

I've never done this before, so I'm using the ever trusty Shutterfly for my first go round! I've just spent the past hour looking at all of the options.. so many.... and finally narrowed it down to the winner. I wanted more than one picture, but not picture overload so it's perfect! I'll show you all when I get them mailed out one day! But it's clean and simple which is right up my alley. I can't wait to see the final outcome!

Here are a few links if you'd like to check out some of what they have to offer!
Shutterfly's Website
Holiday Cards
And even Address Labels!

Want to sweeten the deal? They are now offering 20% off of all of their holiday cards! Just click here to get started!

The Babysitter

I knew the time would eventually come. As much as I dreaded it, I knew the hubs and I had to get out for some US time. Good thing the first time was forced on us or else I'm not sure I would have ever willingly left my son in someone else's care!

Last night Trey and I had a function to go to for his BN. It was called the Gunner's Salute and was a welcome home get together for all the soldiers that came home from the deployment. I completely missed the deadline for childcare (good thing.. ummmm 97 kids to 3 care givers? NOT OKAY. I don't know that I will ever use child care for an Army function! I'd much rather have someone I know and trust watching our little lovebug!)

Our friend Fritz offered to stay with him so we took him up on it! Yep, that's right... a grown man, big tough soldier with no kids of his own offered to stay with a 2 month old on a Friday night! To say I was nervous was an understatement. Nothing to do with him, but I was leaving my baby for the first time. But I put one foot in front of the other and got in the car.. I may or may not have been fighting tears on the way to post.

We both did good though in the end! I only texted once to see how they were doing and Fritz handled a massive dirty diaper and they were asleep on the couch together when Trey and I got home. He even sent me a few pictures... sure does know how to make a mama happy!

Here is the little stinker in action...

Now that's a look of pure concentration!



And a happy baby with a clean diaper :)

I think we found us a babysitter!

I Believe...

... That everyone on this planet should get to feel the joy and love that I feel from holding my son. Or from seeing my husband coming through the door everyday with that smile on his face. It's indescribable. Having kids isn't for everyone, I know, but I wish this feeling for everyone no matter how they get it.

... That money should absolutely grow on trees. And that there should be hundreds of those trees in our yard.

... That my relationship with God is nowhere near as strong as I want it to be. I feel like I talk the talk but don't walk the walk. I want to change that SO VERY badly. Pray for me (and my husband) if you'd like.

... That if you need help with anything, whether it be medical or something as simple as with the dishes. Ask for it. I've spent too much time dealing with stuff and trying to be strong when I just needed a little help. It makes life so much easier.

... That I shouldn't feel guilty for asking Trey to help with feeding Andrew in the middle of the night just because he has to go to work. (speaking of asking for help). But I do feel so guilty. But I do it anyways. I have to pump once during the night too.. so it would take me hours to go back to sleep. He starts the changing and feeding and when I'm done doing my thang, I take over and let him go back to sleep.

... That pizza should be eaten (ate?) in my household once a week.

... That I desperately need a haircut. (I know Kristy and Charla.. I'm going to call him ;)  ) I haven't had once since April (gasp).

... That my box fan is my best friend and I couldn't live without it.

... That true friends are very hard to come by. Once you have them.. don't let go for any reason.

... That people shouldn't be judged or harmed or criticized for their sexual orientation. Who are we to judge? It doesn't make you comfortable? You're not the one living their life. Let them live it. I know the Bible said marriage is between man and woman. I'm afraid it also tells you that it is not your place to judge.

... That my father and husband and the two funniest (and greatest) men that I know.

... That my son is the most precious thing I have ever seen in my life :)

Just Another Day

We don't have much going on over in the Casa de Norton, but I figured if I didn't write while I had the chance (nap time), then I never would. Plus, I wouldn't want that Anonymous commenter to get bitter again with the lack of pictures!

My brother is here staying with us for the rest of the week! He got in on Saturday and we've been loving hanging on with him. He is SO great and sweet with Andrew. Charlie's big thing has been getting him to sleep at night and it's the most precious thing. He is a wonderful Uncle! I'm just a little worried that he's been bored out of his mind as I don't lead the most glamorous life!


Uncle Charlie and Andrew's first day together

I can say that I do not deserve the Mom of the Year award this week! I called our Tel-a-Nurse line over the weekend with concerns of his ongoing congestion that he's had for about 3 weeks now. The last time I called they said it wasn't much to worry about and would probably go away on it on. Welp, it hasn't. We have an appointment tomorrow but that is neither here nor there. When the sweet nurse asked how fussy he has been I told her he has been extra fussy over the past few days. After a long conversation, she suggested I go from feeding him 4oz at a time to 5 or 6. HELLO?! Why didn't I think of that on my own. He was sucking down the 4 ounces no problem and then I was wondering why I couldn't make him happy. I've been starving my child! I know, I know, not really, but he's definitely been ready for more food. I uped the food and I have my sweet happy baby back :) I think I overthink things and look for serious problems.. I need to remember that his needs are very simple. hey.. I'm learning as I go right? Wa wa waaa... 

6.5 weeks old



<>

7 weeks old after watching a Patriots win at Buffalo Wild Wings

*I do have an amazingly cute video to upload of the babe, but after about and hour of leaving this up while it was "uploading", blogger decided there was an error and didn't want to cooperate. Don't worry mum, I'll email it to you :)

Baby Necessities

I've seen a few other mama's out there do a list of things they found they just couldn't live without once baby came along. I know it helped me quite a bit... especially when I was putting together our registry. So here I thought I'd add a little bit of my two cents! Feel free to add to this in the comments, I'd love to hear what genius products you've found!

First and foremost ~ The Itzbeen Timer! This thing is pretty much attached to my hip at all times and I've made it my life's mission to make sure all new mom's know about this. You can check it out my clicking on the link, but basically, it's a simple little gadget that helps you keep track of how long "itzbeen" since your baby last ate, had a diaper changed, since they've slept or have been sleeping, and then a miscellaneous button you can use for whatever. I use it for pumping for instance. If they're sick you can use it for medications. You could also set timers.. so if you needed to give meds every 4 hours or so.. you can set a timer to last however long you want it for. It also has a little Left and Right switch if you are breast feeding to remember which tata you left off on. TRUST ME.. you will not remember these things on your own! You can find this at Target or BRU for just around $20.

Speaking of pumping... my little monkey never did take to me, so I've been pumping constantly for the last 7 weeks. Yeah.. it's about as fun and convenient as it sounds. But I have found a pump that I really like that isn't as expensive as the Medela and Ameda brands. I can't speak for those two.. so I don't really know for sure what I'm missing out on, but I have tried a Playtex brand that was more expensive than mine and I like mine much much better. So.. if you're thinking about buying a pump and you want to spend about $140 instead of $300, the Lansinoh pump is wonderful! It's much quieter than the other one I tried, easier to clean (which you have to do after every pump), and expresses more milk. Winner in my book! Plus, their customer service rocks. I did have a problem with the base this week. When I called them, they asked if I was a strictly pumping mom and since I was they sent a new one out to me immediately.. I had it the next day. KEEP YOUR RECEIPTS!

Baby Einstein music! If you're only planning on listening to it in the home, don't bother buying the cd's. Get onto the Pandora website and search for it. It's a great station, it's FREE, and keeps Andrew entertained for quite a while. He loves it!

Swaddle Blankets (any brand as far as I know)! We weren't planning on buying any, but when we realized we had a ninja for a baby, we went ahead and got some. My husband is an expert swaddler. He would wrap him up as tight as could be but within 3 minutes, Andrew would have his feet and arms out wailing all over the place and wouldn't stay asleep. Swaddle blankets.. problem solved!

Pampers Swaddlers diapers and wipes. We've found these to be the best and have tried them ALL! He seemed to have much more leaks with Luvs and Huggies and the Parents Choice brand from Walmart was just cruel to put on his little hiney! Not such a good material and not worth the money you save. Huggies wipes were too coarse in my opinion and took more to clean up the mess!

That's all I can think of for now! I hope this helps some of you :)

Can't we all just get along??

This post is inspired by a recent.. ummm.. conversation (?) that was had on my Facebook page about college football.
It's no secret that I am passionate about it. We live and breath it every weekend (and Thursday and sometimes Friday) during the fall. And those that have been reading my blog for a while know that I am a firm believer in the SEC. I personally believe that no one out there can compete. I've been a S. Carolina fan for years and years and over the past few years have been persuaded by my husband to route for Alabama as well.. it's hard not to, right? But this is less about our conference as a whole and more about one particular team... OHIO STATE.

Please, ladies, please... let me know if I'm wrong! Unless you live in the state of Ohio.. most people don't care for (or may have some stronger words) Ohio State Football. I've never run into anyone that isn't from Ohio that actually likes the team. Well I have family that lives in Cleveland, Ohio and are huge fans. I don't hold that against them ;) but there has been a huge stink caused on my FB page (seriously.. like 60 comments long) over the fact that I don't like them (the team, not my family).

They say it hurts their feelings that I don't like them and sometimes vocalize my feelings on the subject. And they are REALLY worked up about it. Really? It's nothing personal, says I. I could care less if anyone in the world.. no matter how close you are to me had something bad to say about any of the teams I pull for. To each his own! Say whatever you want and I'll be glad to have a little friendly back and forth banter with you. Why does it have to be so serious? Of course I never want to hurt any one's feelings.. especially friends and family, but to make matters worse - All of this was started over a conversation that was had on my MIL's fb page. They don't know her. Shouldn't be able to see what was on her page. Clearly, I have the right to discuss football (or anything) in whatever fashion I want when it's not directed at them, right?

Here are the reasons I do not care for Ohio State:
I don't have much respect for them as a team. I feel like they play cake teams all year round and don't deserve to be ranked where they are. Come on down south and play some real teams instead of Illinois, Minnesota, Northwestern. See how you hold up.
They value a coach (Woody Hayes) that smacked a student player (from Clemson) by still having his name on the stadium. I understand that happened years ago.. but it's all about tradition and history.
They call themselves "THE Ohio State". Isn't there only 1 state of Ohio? Grrrr

There are lots more that gets under my skin about them, but Andrew is starting to stir and need to finish up my point.

Basically.. I love my family, I do. But I will NEVER love or like Ohio State Football and don't see why this has been made out to be such an issue. Don't let it hurt your feelings.. embrace it and lets have a good ol' fashion family rivalry and pray we play each other in a bowl game or better yet.. National Championship!

I'm still alive!

I've just been super, super  busy. And sick :( 

We've had some pretty crappy germs running through our household. Starting with my husband, who oh so lovingly passed it on to me. You know.. the congestion, sneezing, coughing, headache (I feel like a Dayquil commercial), and I, unfortunately, passed it on to our sweet boy who now has congestion and diarrhea. We're both miserable because of it.



Our first family photo... at a wine festival



Anywho... what's been going on in my world? Well I just mentioned most of it, but we had a WONDERFUL weekend! The Storey's (two of our best friends from back home) flew out to visit us! I can't tell you how much that meant to us and how happy it made the both of us. It's so hard being away from family and friends. For those two blissful days, it didn't feel like we were so far away. Thank you Matthew and Ashleigh! I'm so happy that they got to meet Andrew.. Ashleigh got lots of practice and is going to be a fantastic mum one day! Annd the two extra pairs of hands? I loved it!! We watched lots of football on Saturday (y'all.. nothing gets in the way of Football Saturday). Sunday we took them to Taco Cabana (it's the Norton mission to make sure everyone on the planet eats here) and drove out to New Mexico to check on the La Vina Wine Fest. We had a great time and this little mama got a little tipsy over a few samples of wine.. not gonna lie! It was hard to send them back home the next morning and I almost kidnapped them and made them stay forever... lucky they have a sweet pup to go home to!



Ashleigh and I - October 2010



Monday night I watched the Pats.. FINALLY!! They scared me in the first half but came back swinging in the 2nd. That's my boys! I hear now that Moss is leaving to the Vikings. We'll do just fine without him is what I say...

And this week I've just been taking care of a sad, sick baby. Thanks, girls, for your napping advise! I found something that works and have been getting in a nap a day. I curl up with him on the couch when he falls asleep and sleep with him on my chest! I know I'll have to stop doing this with him in the next few weeks so I don't start any bad habits, but for now, I'm cherishing it. It's the sweetest thing to feel his baby breath on my neck and feel his little fingers wrapping around my arm to curling on my chest. I know that I will miss these little moments!

I'm really looking forward to .. ahhh... 4pm or so today. Hubby will be off and he is coming home to relieve me! That's right.. I get some ME time :) I'm heading off to find some clothes that actually fit me!! I'm in this horrible in between stage where I'm nowhere close to fitting in my pre-pregnancy clothes, but the maternity stuff doesn't quite work anymore either. Any suggestions?

And thank you God, it's a 4-day weekend! I was talking to my cousin last night and she mentioned that she had a long weekend, but wasn't sure why. So thank you Christopher Columbus. Thank you for getting my husband a 4-day :) We'll be enjoying some downtime (watching the Carolina-Bama game.. yessss I'm going for Bama! Don't call me a traitor.. I can't help it) and each other's company.



Look at my little man looking fly in his Bama jersey (courtesy of the Storey's)



Tomorrow.. I put up my fall decor. Can't wait. Time to start lighting that Autumn Leaves candle!!

No Sleep For the Weary

One piece of advice that every hands out like candy when you have a newborn is, "sleep when he sleeps". Really, I wish I could.

I've never been a big napper. There are so many other things that I could be getting done while he is not attached to my hip.. or chest really and my brain never fails to remind me of all those things. It never shuts off.

My house, by NO means needs to be sparkling clean. I'll never be one of those mothers with the perfect child and the spotless house to match. You'll never starve when coming to my house, but you may see a little dust. But, I cannot stand to have junk laying around everywhere. So instead of napping, you'll find me straightening up the living room, doing laundry, emptying or loading the dishwasher, cleaning bottles, pumping (grrrrr), etc.

Now that I have this pesky little cold, I'm finding myself wishing more than ever that I could just lay down and get some rest! I tried multiple times yesterday, but then I'm just fighting a overactive brain and a stuffed up nose. No win situation.

I will, however, be trying extra hard this afternoon though... I may or may not have been reduced to tears in the middle of the night last night when my precious child woke up around 4 and wanted nothing to do with going back to sleep...

Any napping tips??

~ 1 Month ~

Wow! I can't believe I just typed that.. has it really been exactly a month since I've given birth to this beautiful boy?? All of you mommies were right, time does fly!

My little Drew baby:

As of your two week well-baby appointment you were 7lbs 6oz and 20.5 inches long. We don't go back until you are two months old though.. so who knows at this point
You measured in the 50th percentile for height, weight, and head circumference.. just perfect!
You are wearing newborn clothing, but they don't fit perfectly. They fit your little body just right, but most things are too short for your long legs. We joke a lot that you're wearing carpis instead of pants!
You really enjoy eating.. imagine that! You're usually eating about 4 ounces now.. around every 2-3 hours during the day.
You're also a great sleeper, which means you don't eat much during the night. For the past week, you've been going down around 9 at night and not waking up until between 2 and 3. Then you gets up again between 6 and 7 and goes down one more time, usually until 9.
You're not really cooing too much yet, but I think your smiles are starting to mean a little more than gas. You sometimes smiles when I kiss all over your cheeks or rub your cheeks or chin lightly.
You love looking at the lights... fascinates you!
You do not like to be put down.. you love your mama! I feel okay with this for now because I've read that you can't be spoiled at this age. You'll go in your swing for a bit, but only for 10-15 minutes tops.. then you're wanting back in my arms! You're lucky I love you so much :)
You don't like tummy time too much, but your neck is so strong as it is. From the time you've come home, you've been able to pick your head up from off of my chest.. now you'll even pick your head up and look at me in the face. It's the cutest thing!

Andrew, you are the best thing that could have happened to your daddy and I. We are so thankful to have you in our lives.. I can't even begin to explain to you how blessed we feel to have you! We love you more than you can imagine! I look at you and try to picture what your life will be like. There are so many possibilities, I just pray that you are always happy with the decisions you make and that you know we are always your number one fans!

You know you're a mum when...

1. You bounce your laptop lightly in your lap.. true story. Happened last night.

2. You go to Target for a few necessities and realize once you get home that you left your bags at the register. Yup. Didn't pick a single one up. It's called sleep deprivation.

3. You've had a horrid morning and he will not let you put him down. You can't have breakfast or shower. He finally goes down right around lunch and you only last about a half hour before you want him in your arms again!


That's all I have for now, but I'm sure there's more to come.

Yay for the friggen weekend! Our guests have left for now. I had a great time with my in-laws. They spoiled us all mercilessly and wore me out. We did a lot and got out of the house lots, but it was a good thing. They got me out of my comfort zone with the babe and now I think nothing of toting him around town. Between pumps of course... I digress.


Things I'm ready for?
A weekend full of football. Hopefully we'll be able to watch the games we want to this time (Bama is playing Arkansas.. seriously? You have to show that one ESPN. And it would be lovely if I could watch a Pats game.. just sayin.. I'm having Welker withdrawals.)
I'd also like to fast forward to next weekend when The Storey's come and visit us. Yayyy.. more visitors! They are long time friends of ours and I can't tell you how excited we are to have them out here for the weekend! And we are just floored that they are coming all the way out here to see little ol' us.. who am I kidding.. I'm pretty sure it's to get their hands on this little monkey:

And thennnn... my brother comes out for a week on the 16th. We have some pretty amazing people in our lives and I'm a lucky girl!

Visitors

Yaayyy for Friday!!!

Even though I'm not working, I'm still loving me some Fridays! That means Daddy comes home and gets to stay with us for 2 days.. woohoo! And in about an hour and 1/2 Andrew's other set of Grandparents will be here to meet him along with his Great-Grandfather. My in-laws will be here until Wednesday and I'm looking forward to spending some time with them and having them get to know their grandson! Not to mention all those other hands that are going to be dying to hold him and give me a break now and then :)

We have plans to spend lots of time in front of the tube tomorrow watching football. Carolina won't be showing here, but I'll be sure to root them on against Furman... Andrew will be too in his Gamecock onsie! But we will make sure to watch the Bama game and Tennessee game (my father-in-law is a huge TN fan). Sunday we hope to make it on post and check out Oktoberfest for a bit. (Here's to my first experience pumping in the back seat of my car under my breast feeding cover.. I'm sure that'll be a blog post in and of itself). We have an appointment to get our pictures done on Monday (mainly for the boys... 4 generations together!). And I'm sure some shopping trips to Cosco and the outlet malls plus some eating out will be happening. I'm tired just from typing all of this out!

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend... now for the pic of the day :)

Expectations

I'm really bad with having expectations with everything in life. I have an over-active imagination, I guess you could say, and sometimes live in this fantasy world where I think I know how everything is going to go (and of course it's going to go perfectly).
Having a baby was no exception. I for sure didn't imagine labor and delivery to go like it did. Never in a million years did I imagine that anything could be wrong with him once he came out.. the thought barely crossed my mind. And I certainly didn't think what comes next was going to be as hard and exhausting as it is.
I imagined I'd have all the energy in the world... frolicking around to one social function or another, toting around my adorable baby as an accessory for everyone to ooohh and ahhh over. I'd have my hair and makeup done and would gush as everyone adored him. Hahh! I did manage to shower this morning.. that's a plus! And I got to brush my teeth by 1030. It's a little hard to leave the house when you have a baby that wanted nothing to do with breastfeeding so you have to pump every 3 hours to keep up with his demand. Not so cute to use your breastfeeding cover to hide a noisy, electronic pump! ("don't mind me guys.. just going to milk myself in the corner... mind if I use your sink to clean the parts when I'm done?").
I thought I'd have this easy going child that wouldn't mind sitting in his bouncy chair or staring up at the ceiling so mommy could make lunch or start a load of laundry. Not so much says Andrew.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful.. that's not the purpose of this post what-so-ever. With saying all of this, I wouldn't give him back for any amount of money in the world. Because at the same time.. I'm am absolutely and utterly in love with him in more ways than I ever imagine possible. That is something my imagination could have never prepared me for.. he's filled up my heart in a way I never thought was possible!
I pray for him to FINALLY go down to sleep and about an hour or so after nap time, I'm aching to have him look at me with those big blue eyes all over again. I can't imagine what our life would be like if he weren't in it.

So, is motherhood exactly what I expected it to be? Absolutely not. In some ways it's much, much harder.. but I know we'll get used to each other and learn each other's ways and it will get easier. And in others, it's more than I ever could have wanted for myself.

I'm. A. Mom
One day I'll get used to that idea. Until then.. I'll just be lovin on this little munchkin!

Home Sweet Home

All I can say is wow.. God is great and we have a little fighter on our hands :) :)

After a long day of waiting yesterday we all came home AS A FAMILY last night from the hospital around 7pm. He was supposed to be discharged between 9 and 10 that morning but that is neither here nor there now. He's home and healthy (and sleeping) and that is all that matters! *Seriously.. he sleeps all day. I want to cuddle him more, but he just wants to sleep. All. Day. Long. *

We are an extremely happy and thankful family right now. I can't thank y'all enough for all of your thoughts and prayers over the past two weeks. I've never in my life been a bigger believer in prayer. The fact that in a week in a half he went from this...

... to this....

And I couldn't be any more in love!

Nor could Daddy :)

Now if only we could get Grannie to stay for another week or 4!

Baby Andrew Update

My little monkey is doing better and better by the day. Thank you so so much for all of your kind words and prayers.. keep them up.. they really are making a difference!

• He is no longer dependent on a breathing tube. They took the big one out. He still has a little help through a tube is his nose, but he is doing all of the work himself.
• He doesn't need the Dopamine anymore either. He is completely off of it now and is controlling his blood pressure just fine!
• They are feeding him my breast milk through an IV. He has other IVs that are giving him fats and vitamins, but today they are working on uping my milk and lowering the other IVs. We pray that goes really well.
• Our biggest concern now is a good bit of shaking we noticed today. It's like he's going into little mini convulsions and I hate to see his poor little body go through it. They did some blood work which came back all clear, and now we're waiting on the doc to read the EEG results.
• He's gained almost 2 ounces and now weights 7 lbs and alllmost 8 ounces.

They won't tell me any kind of date that we can take him home of course, but the nurse kind of made it sound like he may be able to come home soon depending on the results of the EEG. I don't know that for sure though, I very well just may have been reading into what she said. I can't help but get my hopes up though. It's very encouraging to see all of the progress that he has made, but it's getting harder and harder to leave there every day without him in our arms. I'm emotionally exhausted! Especially after today...

We went for our first visit this morning. Trey and I were in the room together (they only let 2 in at a time, so grammy had to wait). I was able to take his temperature and Daddy changed his diaper. We weren't in there for much longer before everyone was kicked out since a new baby was being admitted.
We went back for our second visit at 3:00.. this time it was me and Grammy. The nurse told me right away that there was yet another baby being admitted soon so we don't have much time, but she felt comfortable with me holding him since they had him on his side and his hematoma seemed to be doing fine. Music to my ears! I was going to hold my precious baby for the first time!!
She got a chair ready for me to get comfortable in, brought over a blanket to swaddle him in, and left us sitting there for 15 minutes. She comes back... tells Grammy to put the blanket under him when she lifts him up.. the nurse swaddles him.. the walked away for another minute to help another baby (keep in mind there are plenty of other nurses in here the whole time). She comes back just in time to tell me the new baby will be here in 10 minutes and she doesn't feel comfortable with letting me hold Andrew. Not only for a minute???? I ask her. She tells me that's fine, picks him up and bit then sets him back down saying it just wasn't possible today.
Are.You.Kidding.Me??? I bawled. I understand there is nothing they can do if there is another sweet, poor baby that needs to come in, but like I said before, there were other nurses everywhere. Why was is necessary for her to leave us sitting here alone right after she tells a new mom that she is going to be able to hold her baby for the first time 4 days after him being born. I was a wreck.

I feel a little better tonight after some time relaxing, knowing that I'll probably get my moment tomorrow morning. My mum is here and she is taking such great care of me! Trey has been amazing too! Hopefully I'll have some more great news soon and maybe even a "bringing baby home" picture :)

My sweet, sweet little boy!