Pictures and New Crib

Chloe Jo is such a happy little girl. She gets so excited any time we get ready to go out.
She is also getting to be such a big girl. She can stand at this activity table all by herself and push buttons and play.
G-Jo and Grampy bought her a lovie this week since we aren't using the swaddle blanket or the paci and she moved to her own room.
We went to get a crib today. The pack and play bassinet weight limit is 15 pounds so it was time to finally get the crib. I had to rearrange the office/Chloe Jo's room to get it to fit and it looks okay. I can't wait until she gets her own room and I can decorate it without the office getting in the way!

Breaking the Habit

Chloe Jo has used a swaddle blanket since she was born. This blanket has been a wonderful tool to help her sleep through the night and to be snug and cozy. She outgrew her newborn swaddle around 4 months and I didn't know what I was going to do. I hated even thinking about weaning her from it. None of the stores around her had that brand of swaddle in the large size. I finally found 2 stores online that sold the large and ordered that. She has used it ever since. We were lucky since she is very small for her age and we have been able to use it this long. Last Friday I finally decided to wean her from the swaddle. I had planned to wean her by taking one arm out for a few nights then the other arm for a few nights and then completely take it away. Plans changed that night. She cried multiple times before I ever went to bed and then she was awake 3 times before 3:00 a.m. I finally decided to let her cry it out and moved her bed into her own room. Then I realized that the reason she was crying was because she has to move her arms and legs all the time, even when she sleeps. This causes her to pop her paci out and that makes her very mad. There was no way I was going to be able to wean her from the swaddle and let her keep her paci. So, we decided to go all out cold turkey. Poor thing. I feel bad to do this to her, but it will be so much better in the long run. We won't have to go through this three different times now. Friday she cried for an hour before she fell asleep and was awake throughout the night, but I never did pick her up. She just had to deal with it. Then Saturday night it took her 45 minutes to get to sleep. Last night she didn't even cry for 10 minutes and she was asleep. It was sooooo nice! And this was without her paci and in her own room. YAY! I did give her a crocheted blanket so if she put it over her head she could still breathe easily. That was exactly what happened. She wanted that blanket over her head and I tried three times to pull it off of her face and she wasn't having that! She did finally fall into a deep sleep and I was able to pull the blanket off of her face. Anyway, I'm just happy that it she has taken to being weaned from the swaddle so well. We are going to go get her a crib this week. She is getting too heavy for the bassinet part of the pack and play so it's time. Maybe later this week I will blog about something other than Chloe Jo!

Banana Split Pie Recipe

Banana Split Pie

1 pie crust (I used Betty Crocker's ready made and it worked great!)
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup milk
1 can crushed pineapple, drained (keep the juice to use)
2 bananas
1 container of whipped topping (8 oz)
Chopped nuts
Maraschino cherries
Chocolate candy bar

Bake pie crust according to the directions on the package or in your recipe book. Mix instant pudding and spread in pie crust. Layer pineapple over pudding. Slice bananas into the drained pineapple juice. Drain juice and layer banana slices over pineapple. Cover with whipped topping. Sprinkle nuts and garnish with cherries.

I realized that this pie was missing something later. CHOCOLATE! I used a potato peeler to put chocolate over the top, also.

Yummy! Enjoy!

Wednesday Round-Up

-Russ, Chloe Jo and I went to a "Pot Roast and Pie" part last Friday evening. Is that not the cutest theme?!? The couple that had it made dinner and then each couple that came brought a pie. I took a Banana Split Pie. I found this recipe in a FREE Jiffy recipe book that came in the mail and had to try it. It was so yummy and we had a great time with our friends!
-It had finally turned off cold here. We have had gorgeous, take a walk type weather throughout the fall. I really dislike the cold, but I am thankful that we had such mild weather for so long. I put Chloe Jo in her baby coat for the first time yesterday. She HATED it! The poor dear couldn't even move.
-I was true to my word and went to Tuesday ladies day yesterday. I was wary about going because of Chloe Jo, but she did wonderful! She thought all the attention from the older ladies was so fun. We got there at 9:00 and stayed until 12:30. I did have to go to the nursery and rock her to sleep at one point, but I was only gone for 15 minutes so I felt like that was a good day. And I finished up quite a few pillows for the hospitals! I stitch the rectangular pillows closed and then rip out the basting. These are the pillow shapes that we do in all different fabrics. Then we deliver them to the local hospitals pediatrics wards and emergency rooms to give to the children. We also make a few larger pillows for hospice.
-I finished Chloe Jo's stocking, also yesterday. It turned out really cute and I love it. Hopefully she will have a sibling soon so her stocking can match better!

ME! ME! ME!

I think we live in a very sad society. I hate the fact that we, as Americans, feel like we have to have things. I hate the fact that we live under the notion of "it's my way or the highway." I hate the fact that we are so greedy that we have run this country into debt. And I am talking about myself here, too. Don't think I don't know that I have fallen into this trap. What got me thinking about this was that I watched The Real Housewives of Orange County last night. I don't normally waste my time watching this trash, but for whatever reason I did last night. I was horrified by the way those women act toward each other and themselves. "I am so rich. Look at me. I have everything I want and I want more. Money. Money. Money. There is nothing in life besides money." I hate that this way of thinking is what is on television now and that if I continue to watch shows like that Chloe Jo is going to learn that way of thinking. I don't want that. I want her to go with me to visit people in the nursing home. I want her to see me take cookies to a shut-in. I want her to see how wonderful giving is. I used to be a part of a group of ladies that sewed pillows and delivered them to the pediatric wards at the hospital. I had to stop going when I started my previous job. I haven't gone since. I'm going to start going again. I want Chloe Jo to grow up understanding that the world does not revolve around her and that that is okay. It doesn't have to. I want her to grow up giving of herself and being a true Christian example to others. But, in order for that to happen, I have to start being a true Christian example to her. It all starts in the home. And if I have an inkling to watch television, maybe I'll opt for watching a wholesome, God-fearing family like the Duggars.

7 Months

Chloe Jo is 7 months old today. The last 7 months (well, really the last 16 months) have gone by so fast. It's crazy to think that 2009 is almost over. Russ and I are so excited about Christmas this year. It is going to be tons of fun to have a little one to enjoy. Chloe Jo, you are getting so big and we love you lots and lots!

Monday Roundup

~Chloe Jo is loving her bottle. She hated the formula at first so I mixed 3/4 breastmilk with 1/4 formula which she promptly took all of. Then I did 1/2 and 1/2 and yesterday she took straight formula without any kind of problem. ~Russ and I gave Chloe Jo biter biscuits for the first time today and she loved them! I have been giving her yogurt melts and puffs for a while, but she just wasn't understanding how to feed them to herself. She was only successful one time. I think they were just too small so we changed tactics and it worked. There was a mess afterward, but totally worth it to teach her to feed herself.

~I have not been sleeping well at all. I wake up multiple times every night and then lay in bed for 30 minutes to a few hours. I was exhaused last night and still didn't sleep well. It doesn't help that Chloe Jo hasn't been sleeping as well either. After I put her in bed the first time she has been waking up about 30 minutes later and just wants to be snuggled. Mom thinks maybe she is missing the nursing and just needs to adjust again. Also, it didn't help that our neighbors upstairs are loud.

~Russ, Chloe Jo and I went grocery shopping today. As we were unpacking the gorceries, Russ grabbed a box of feminine items from a bag and said "Why did you get a flood light?" To which I responded "...."

~Last week Chloe Jo and I walked 4 miles 5 days. We took Sunday off. Once she wakes up from her nap we are going to go today. It has been really nice getting some vitamin D and some exercise.

~I saved over $40.00 today on groceries with coupons.

~I have a lot of my Christmas presents shopping done already. I love getting all that out of the way early!

~I bought a Christmas stocking for Chloe Jo today. I made Russ and I's stockings and have the supplies to make hers, too. I sew our names and patches on them. Russ and my stockings are red with red and white striped cuffs. I wasn't able to find that stocking last year or this year so Chloe Jo's is going to be different. Hers is red with a plain white cuff. In order to have the same stocking if we have more children, I went ahead and bought extra. I was going to buy 2 extra because we have always talked about having three children, but Russ put 1 more in the cart and just looked at me with a look that said, "Yeah? What are you going to say to that?" Apparently Russ now wants 4 children. I just hope I can deliver on this goal of his. Do you hear that, ovaries!?!

~I have an idea for my Christmas cards. I just need scrapbooking paper to go on sale within the next two weeks.

~I have been going to bible class with Chloe Jo since she doesn't like to let me get out of her sight and have been getting some great ideas for her Cradle Roll class I am teaching on Sundays. She loves class and I am hoping to be able to sneak out and go to my own class soon.

~I got a call from my sister today. She is pregnant and was sent to see a specialist today and everything looks good with her and the baby. The specialist did send her blood out, but as long as it comes back fine, then she is going to release her back to the regular OB. If you want to know more about the situation, there is information on her blog at The Life of Chelle.

Family Pictures

Russ, Chloe Jo and I went to have family pictures taken yesterday. We had to postpone it to this week and I happened to get a better coupon through e-mail so it worked out! I was, again, happy with the pictures the photographer took. Chloe Jo wasn't as smiley as normal so there aren't any with her big grin in them, but they are still good. It's always harder when you are photographing a baby!

This one was a promotion that was free to try to get me to buy their Christmas cards. I always make my own so I really didn't care about this one, but it will look cute in Chloe Jo's scrapbook.

This is the picture I bought in an 8x10 for our wall. The frame I have has a cream colored mat so this picture looks really good in it.
I am going to make a wall collage with the family photo in the middle and a picture of me and Chloe Jo on one side and one of Russ and Chloe Jo on the other. We have a large frame with our name in it so that will go above the three family pictures.

This picture wasn't my absolute favorite, but because my coupon was for 30% off the entire order I went ahead and bought one because I do like it. And it may make it's way onto the wall collage anyway.

0% Interest

Caution: The following post contains material that may not be suitable for immature boys or men or women who think breastfeeding is icky.

Apparently, Chloe Jo has decided that she is not interested in breastfeeding at all anymore. She refused a couple of times last night and has refused every time I've offered today. I am so sad that she has weaned herself (in a way...in another way it's one less thing I have to worry about!). About a month and a half ago she had decided that she didn't want to nurse all the time like she had been doing. She went down to 3 times a day and was happy with that. I couldn't get her to take a bottle or anything so I was concerned that she wasn't getting enough milk. Her pediatrician didn't share my concern so I hadn't been worrying about it. Last night she completely refused and it didn't matter what I did she was not going to nurse. Same thing this morning. I even tried to let her cry it out and see if she would nurse when she got hungry enough. Nope. That didn't work, either. I've offered several times today and nothing. So I guess I'm not breastfeeding anymore. I can't pump enough to even make that worth it so I'm going to call it quits. When I realized that this was probably going to be it, I cried...like bawled. I'm so sad that she doesn't want this special time anymore. I know there will be more special times between us, but it will be a different special. I called the pediatrician and asked for formula recommendations and asked how much I should give her each day so I have to go to the store and buy the formula tonight. *Tear*

October Fun!

Last week was so busy! Chloe Jo and I went with our friends Melissa and Kaydence to the pumpkin patch. We had planned on doing it the week before, but got rained out twice. We did finally make it and took some cute pictures!

Then I, of course, had to take Halloween pictures last night! Melissa and Kaydence went with Chloe Jo and I around to a few houses to trick-or-treat.

My sweet pumpkin. G-Jo bought this pumpkin suit last year when I was pregnant with Chloe Jo. We still thought she was going to be Logan at that time!

She was all ready to go. It's so funny how she knows when we are getting ready to go somewhere. She gets so excited!

Kaydence dressed as a pumpkin, also. Melissa and I didn't know that they were both going as pumpkins so we were thrilled when we met up to go out.

We stopped by G-Jo and Grampy's to get pictures and G-Jo gave Chloe Jo a bag full of halloween goodies.

After we visited for a while we went trick or treating at a few homes of older people we know from church. I love how they get so excited when they get visitors. Most of them said they don't get any trick or treaters anymore so I was even more happy that we decided to do that. The last stop we made was by a couple's house from our young marrieds group. They had decorated their garage and had a group that dressed up to creep people out. We had so much fun!

Chloe Jo thought all the lights and steam was great. There was no turning back for her.

Chloe Jo didn't mind Jacob Black (I don't think this person who I didn't even know was really dressed as Jacob Black, I'm just a Twilight fan) until I stepped back to take the picture.

I can't wait until next year when Chloe Jo will be able to walk around and enjoy the candy!