3 in a row

So Maelea has been doing a pretty good job of sleeping, as in three nights in a row of sleeping from about 9:30-5:00 a.m.! She had a few all nighters before these but three in a row is starting to feel like a routine and I sure do like that. She doesn't really have a set schedule during the day, but she still eats about every 2 to 3 hours. Her favorite sleep time is from about 7-11 in the morning. After I feed her she loves to sit up and talk and smile and it is sooo precious.

She's just changing so much and I know I say it on every other post, but she really is and it is going so fast. Here's a few clips of my sweet baby.

a few changes

This little cuddle bug is now 8 weeks old........seriously, I had her 8 weeks ago today????


She is doing lots of adorable things including smiling alot, grabbing your face or neck and squeezing when she wakes up and you pick her up, cooing when you talk to her..........and this might not be too adorable but she really knows when I'm holding her and she's kinda started to cry when other people hold her. She's done this a little with Alex this week since he's been at work and I'm with her day and night. But she came out of that last night at IHOP and he held her while I finished my yummy stuffed french toast. She's loving sitting up on the boppy where she can see and looooves the fan.

She also loves when Alex reads to her. She'll lay on her changing table and just look and listen and move her feet and arms really fast while he's reading. She thinks its great, so do I.



Another change; Alex will be working at my school starting on Monday. Yes, we'll be working together, something I used to say I couldn't ever do, but I think its going to be great. Everyone at my school is so happy too, its a nice feeling.

Something that is not changing that I sure wish would, me being in shape. I know you're thinking, didn't you say you ate stuffed french toast at ihop? Well yes, but I've been doing good with eating and we exercise almost every night so I know its getting better but just not fast enough for me!

Also an update on Sheree. She is scheduled for her surgery on October 14th in St. Louis. They will head up there on the 13th and stay the night because her surgery is at 5:30 a.m. the next day. Please keep them in your prayers!

I'm sooo glad that its the weekend. I've got some sewing to do and time to spend with Alex and Maelea.

Happy Birthday Pippo!

Maelea has something she wants to tell her Pippo!





We hope you have a great birthday Pippo! We love you lots and can't wait to see you again.

She's sleeping right now.

sew1983 new project

Big yawns.



I've got new projects from sew1983. Who isn't thinking about Christmas right now? I sure am and with all these little ones here and on the way, I'm loving the idea of the holidays. So my new project is Christmas stockings. I've only completed two, and I've got lots more ideas in mind and lots more fabrics, colors, ribbons, embellishments to add. Here are the two I've completed so far. Oh yeah and a picture of new fabric labels that I ordered from bitsycreations.com on etsy.




These pictures are really not that great because I still had to press out the inside of this one to make it rounded out and even, but I was excited to post.



And I made this little bow clip for the newest lady panther, Ingrid!


And this little firecracker finally fit into her fourth of july outfit, so I had to put her in it. She helped me out alot today.

at home

So today is officially the first day of school for the kids....and Alex.......and I'm at home with Maelea.


I'm loving it. I've got two weeks left of this and I'm so happy. I did get a little teary eyed this morning while I was holding her because I know it will go so fast and because she is so cute and it is so nice not worrying about just getting to be with her during the day on the weekends.


And I also got a little worried because I thought she might have a little temperature this morning, but she didn't. Thank goodness because it took me about thirty minutes and a broken in half bobby pin to get the world's tiniest screw out of the battery thing to put the batteries in. But I checked her, and myself, about three times each and neither of us had a fever. yeaaa!

Dad's doll

As I've written on here many times and said it many times, Maelea looooves her dad.




She loves me too, but since he's been back at school this week, she just really lights up when he comes home and he holds her. She will just look and look at him and constantly reaches for his face.

He thought she needed to try on his giant sock. She didn't mind one bit.



She loves to snuggle with me and falls asleep quite fast on my shoulder when she's tired.
Renee got her this adorable outfit. It was quite a hit when I took her to school, everyone loved the ruffle buns!

She's started.....well re-started naps in her crib and is doing good with it. Last night, we went to watch Alex play flag football and she did pretty well, but she wanted me to hold her most of the time because she DID NOT want to fall asleep, there was just too much for her to see and do. So when we got home, I changed her, put jammies on her, and fed her, you know her normal routine. Then she would not fall asleep, she was too tired to do so I think. So it took nearly two hours, and her dad walking her up the street before she would fall asleep. The plus side to the struggle of this, she slept from midnight to 7 a.m.! So we'll take that.

I was having a rough time though when we got home because there is alot going on around us. If you are not aware, Garrett and Sheree are having a baby and their due date is April 9th. They are also in a battle with a tumor that Sheree has. This is a battle they will win and so many prayers are going out for them every day. We will find out results from her biopsy sometime soon. After that, they will have another appointment where they will set the date for removal of the tumor and also a total knee replacement. More and more prayers will be needed then for a great recovery, as little pain as possible, great health for Sheree and the baby, and strength for Garrett to be as awesome as he already has been.
Please pray for a family in our hometown that has lost a son. Kelly Fitch was in a boating accident on the lake and passed away a couple days ago. He was a year younger than I am and played basketball with Garrett. In a small town, you feel close to everyone and I know this has hit so many so hard.
Also, not going back to school at the start is going to be easier than I thought but thinking about not being with Maelea all day is going to be tough.
Alex and I are going out to eat with Maelea tonight, not sure where but somewhere that's not fast food!

sleepy head

We have been in a struggle to get Maelea to sleep since we've been back from our Arkansas trip. I mean we had the stroller going up and down the driveway at 10:00 at night, walking, rocking, singing, reading, you name it. But the real thing is, she just doesn't like sleeping on her back, point blank, she hates it. She screams and cries as soon as you lay her down, even if she's fast asleep. So during the day I let her lay on her stomach for naps and she sleeps like a dream. So mom had a good idea to try getting her to sleep, then laying her on her stomach in her crib, then waiting a little while, then going back in there and flipping her over on her back. Well it worked, thanks mom.

This is her favorite napping spot, at the end of the couch. She sleeps so good from her morning feeding around 6:45 or so until around 10:00.



So I've slowly let myself let her sleep on her stomach. Call me crazy or whatever the heck you want to call me, but my child will sleep well on her stomach and will not sleep at all on her back, so I'm letting her sleep on her stomach, contrary to everything the doctors tell you these days.



I'm not always a rule follower though, so I guess I'll go with what works for us. Now don't get me wrong, I check on her constantly and question many decisions that I make, but she is very strong and can turn that head over in an instant.



I've been doing some daily work at the school and at home for my class this year. We had meet the teacher last night and it went well. I'm about to go up there and work a little more with my sub when Maelea wakes up. Feeling good about this school year,,,,,,,,,,,but I don't want to go back. I will go back on September 7th, two more full weeks.

Fancy Nancy days

Well when Nancy comes to town there is always fun to be had. And as she put it, you know its football season when we get together! Go Cowboys!




This picture is of how close our seats were. The new suite seats are awesomely close and the food is the bomb!


So fun, as always.



Maelea got to stay with Lynn. Of course as soon as we left my heart was in my throat, but I knew she was in good hands. And by hands I mean 8 of them. Lynn made the mistake of telling others she was watching Maelea, so Maelea had a host of sitters! Lynn, Charletta, Jo, and Tori! She had a blast with those ladies!

The next day Nancy and Micah got to meet Maelea. It was precious, sweet, and funny.




Maelea made out like a bandit with a cowboys outfit and two new pairs of shoes!

Ballin'

What else would you expect Alex and Derek to do when they get together? Of course they played basketball.


I had a bit of a sad moment last night when I realized these things:
1. I have a ton of work to do for school in order to get things ready for my sub and to get ready for a successful school year.
2. Alex was going back to work today. No more fun family days at home until the weekend.
3. Maelea used her last newborn size diaper. wahhhahaha (crying sound)

I went to school today to get some things done in my room. I took Maelea with me and she was a big hit. It was the first day of in service for everyone, so they all got to see her. I did get some things done and she was excellent. I brought things home with me so I can work at home all day long tomorrow getting lesson plans and things ready.

I absolutely love teaching, it is what I was made to do professionally. I also love my daughter more and know that being a mom is what I was made to do. I've got to figure out a way to be a stay at home mom and a teacher.

I mean look at this face.

Hay Day

Still catching up on blog posts from our trip to Arkansas.

Maelea loves her uncle Garrett.



Alex and Garrett did some hay hauling for dad. The best part was finding Alex some clothes to wear to accomplish this task. He has his own overalls, but forgot to bring them with him this time.



Then the work began.










Some day Maelea will be right in the middle of it all!