Day 3: Photo Challenge

Day 3: A picture of the cast from favorite show

Well I guess this is probably the show I watch the most often. Don't get me wrong though I don't have to see it. TV for me is something to pass the time at night when I am to tired to use my brain for much else. It is by no means a must and I am trying to cut back on TV altogether, but it is hard when you stay at home all day and have no "adult" conversation. I find myself using the TV a lot for background noise. I would choose the radio more often but I actually pay attention to those songs and it seems to be the same ones over and over. Maybe I should invest in some newer CD's or just learn to live without the "noise" all together. Time will tell. Honestly I wish this picture and post had more meaning. This seems to be the only picture that isn't more meaningful throughout the 30 day challenge.

Day 2: Photo Challenge

Day 2: A picture of you and the person you have been close with for the longest.


     So I could think of many people who fit this description in different ways. I could put my mother who I love hanging out with and is a great blend of a parent and a friend. I could put Elaney my best Friend since middle school and I can pick up the phone after weeks of not talking and it feels like we have never been apart. 
     However, I have chosen my Grandmother, Florence. My Grandma has been there every step of the way since before I can remember. She gave my mother, brother and I a place to stay when we were little and my mom was buying a house. She willingly watched us every night Monday through Friday from 330pm -midnight while my mother reluctantly went to her 2nd shift job cleaning schools. Grandma watched us on the weekends when my mom needed some adult time and a breather from being a single parent. She taught us lessons about everyday life, instilled morals in us through good old sayings like "do onto others, as you would have them do onto you." Grandma gave us endless love, numerous cookies and treats, and good old discipline when we needed it. I remember her letting me "help" her cook, even though she could have done it faster by herself. There were sleepovers with countless musicals and other "shows", all the records we loved playing on her record player, building tents and forts in her living room and outside, climbing her apple tree and picking lilacs from he bushes. My grandma taught me how to crochet when I was 4 years old, and to sew cross stitch and many other crafty things and she did it all with the patience of an angel. My Grandmother also attended EVERY event throughout my life from school functions and dance to my college graduation...she even traveled to Texas to see me graduate from Air Force Boot camp and to Florida to visit me at my first duty station! There is never a time in my life I don't remember her being there! 
     Thank you Grandma for everything thing that you have taught me throughout the years! I love you more than you will ever know! Can not wait to come home to visit with you again. 
     Love Always, Amanda


The picture of my Grandmother and me was taken on my wedding day 14 June 2008!

Day 1: Photo Challenge

Day 1: A photo of myself with 15 facts

1. I picked this picture because this is the most beautiful I have ever felt in my life. Honestly. I didn't feel fat, even though this was the heaviest I have ever been. I didn't feel ugly. I felt beautiful. This picture was taken on Dec 19, 2009. The day after I was due to have Noah.

2. I always imagined that I would have been married by 21 and have two kids by the time I was 27, but obviously God had different plans for me and for that I am thankful! I didn't get married until I was 27 and I didn't have my first child until I was 29!

3. I have always dreamed of being a wife and mother. However, I swore up and down throughout college that "I would NEVER be a stay at home mom!" and now I can not imagine my life if I wasn't. (Again that was God at work ;)

4. I actually do have my college degree...well actually I now have 2. I earned a Bachelors in Psychology from Grand Valley State University in 2003 and I earned an associates degree from the Community College of the Air Force in 2008...but lets be honest, I don't even know what that actual degree is in. I thought it was counter productive to earn them "backwards" anyways so I just never paid attention to it. Maybe I should pull out the diploma and look it up some day.

5. I have struggled my whole life with self-esteem issues even though most people don't know that, but I am working on loving me for me and not who "society" says I should be.

6. My biggest fear in the world is public speaking! I am absolutely terrified to speak in front of people.

7. Out of all the things I have done and seen in my life, my greatest accomplishment was having my son, Noah. He is truly a blessing from God and I am honored to be his momma.

8. I have traveled to 7 different countries...well if you count Grand Cayman as a "country" even though it is a British territory. The countries are Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Japan, Grand Cayman, Belize and Honduras. I absolutely love Central American culture and I hope to do more traveling sometime in the future.

9. I have traveled to at least 30 of the 50 states and I have lived in 5 different states...Michigan, Texas, California, Florida and Hawaii! Next year I will be in State number 6 God Willing!

10. I used to play the Clarinet in middle school and high school and at one time I was actually pretty good at it. I still have my clarinet but haven't touched it in years. However, I think about it every now and then...mainly when I go to get something out of the back closet, but I don't even know if I could remember all the notes if I picked it up and I don't have reeds.

11. My biggest pet peeve in the world is being late to anything! I am a firm believer that if you are not 15 minutes early you are late. Coming in a close second are people who have no common courtesy with cell phones or modern technology. I do not go out to dinner with friends so they can talk/text someone else throughout our visit. If I can see you text-ing and checking your phone in church obviously God can too. And please, please, please turn off your ringer in meetings, movies, gatherings etc. and if you have to take the call LEAVE THE ROOM!

12 I am completely and utterly in love with my husband! He is the only person I ever called my boyfriend. The only man I said "I love you" to in a romantic way, and the only man I ever plan on being married to! For some reason he loves me unconditionally even when I don't love myself, and for that I am thankful.

13. I love to crochet, sew, scrapbook, quilt, cross stitch and a ton of other crafty things that people consider "old fashioned."

14. I get the "itch to move" way to often. This is the longest I have been in one house (just coming up on 2 full years) since I was 18. The constant moving invokes a now deep routed urge to purge. I love getting rid of stuff and trying to be more organized. I firmly believe the longer you live somewhere the more junk you subconsciously accumulate and happen to "find places for it." I honestly feel like simplifying my life right now by getting rid of a ton of stuff I just don't use, so I am trying to fulfill that urge by finishing the crafts in my craft bin over the next year. There will be a good purge this time next year when it is time to move, and when we get into a new house. It will be a "breath of fresh air" so to speak.

15. I really do want more kids sometime... sooner rather than later. However, my uterus is not screaming hello at me right now. Funny I felt like having another baby when Noah was younger, but for now I really am content having Noah. I am enjoying watching him grow and develop and enjoying all the laughter and love he shares with me everyday. I am praying that someday in the near future I will feel the urge to have another baby so Noah will have siblings, and I pray that God is gracious enough to bless us with at least one more little miracle!

30 day Photo Challenge

30 Day Photo Challenge

A friend of mine is doing this, and I thought it looked like fun so I'm going to do it too. It really is a personal challenge to myself. I have wanted to get back in touch with my blog and write about some things that happen in our daily lives, but as one can see I haven't done it yet. Of course my blog really needs an update since our "baby" is here and no longer on the way...but that will all come in "due" time. :)

Here's the list of the photos needed.

Day 1: A picture of yourself with fifteen facts.

Day 2: A picture of you and the person you have been close with for the longest.

Day3: A picture of the cast from your favourite show.

Day 4: A picture of your night.

Day 5: A picture of your favourite memory.

Day 6: A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day.

Day 7: A picture of your most treasured item.

Day 8: A picture that makes you laugh.

Day 9: A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.

Day 10: A picture of the person you do the most messed up things with.

Day 11: A picture of something you hate.

Day 12: A picture of something you love.

Day 13: A picture of your favourite band or artist.

Day 14: A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.

Day 15: A picture of something you want to do before you die.

Day 16: A picture of someone who inspires you.

Day 17: A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently.

Day 18: A picture of your biggest insecurity.

Day 19: A picture of you when you were little.

Day 20: A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel.

Day 21: A picture of something you wish you could forget.

Day 22: A picture of something you wish you were better at.

Day 23: A picture of your favourite book.

Day 24: A picture of something you wish you could change.

Day 25: A picture of your day.

Day 26: A picture of something that means a lot to you.

Day 27: A picture of yourself and a family member.

Day 28: A picture of something you're afraid of.

Day 29: A picture that always makes you smile.

Day 30: A picture of someone you miss

Oh My, Oh Dear, Has It Been a Year?

My Sweet Baby Noah,

To much time has past since Momma has last wrote to you, but by no means have I not thought about it. Time has just simply slipped away from me and to be honest I think a part of me thought that if I stopped writing about how fast you were growing, maybe just maybe time would slow down.

Unfortunately, time is still moving, and moving way to fast in my opinion. Many things have happened in the last 6 months. You have accomplished so many first, along with a few lasts, and grown in so many ways it is hard to know where to begin.

(Deep breath and biting my lip to hold back tears)

The day you turned 6 months old you decided that it was time to roll from your back to your tummy and you began to scoot everywhere!

At six and a half months you took one of your first steps. Literally. You began to pull yourself up beside momma as I laid on the floor and within a few days you were pulling yourself up to the furniture and walking along it! I couldn't believe it. And the moment you did it, it was like you had done it your whole life. There was no holding you back. You started cruising along furniture and soon you were transferring from the couch to the coffee table and back! Everyday it seemed liked you pushed yourself a little more, stretching just a little further or letting go just a little longer.

Just shy of 8 months old you began to take your baths in the big bathtub and you were in love. You had no fear of laying down in the tub either on your tummy or back and no problem with momma and daddy dumping water over your head. Daddy is the best at getting you to splash and I think your goal is to soak him every time! Momma also had to cave on the haircut. Your beautiful blonde hair had to be tamed. Momma and Dadda took you to Pigtails and Crewcuts for your very first haircut and I couldn't believe how different you looked after it was done. You went from a little baby to a little boy. You were so well behaved through the whole thing. You never fused or cried. Of course sitting in a fire engine chair always helps!

8 months brought your first words! You graced me with hearing Momma first, followed the next day by baba and a few days later by Dadda...needless to say Dadda became your favorite word unless you were tired or upset. You also learned how to wave bye bye.

The day you turned 9 months old Momma and you headed to Michigan, where Daddy was going to meet us in a few weeks. You took your first plane ride and by accident you went on your first bus ride too because our 2nd flight got cancelled. You were so good natured for the entire 20 hour trip only fusing for about 5 mins during the last 20 mins of the bus ride when you were exhausted! While we were in Michigan you got to see Grandma Mary again and meet all of momma's other family members, including your Grandpa Conley, Grandpa and Grandma Randall, your Great Grandmothers and so many more! Plus when daddy came to meet us you got to see Grandpa and Nannah Sutton again and all of daddy's family too. We went to the fall festivals, Art Prize, pumpkin patches and orchards along with some shopping and good quality family time. You seemed to take to everyone and everyone loved on you while we were there. You took your first steps by yourself on momma's 30th birthday! It was 2 small steps but they were distinct and they were to momma! At just 9.5 months old! Everyone was so proud of you! You also surprised us by playing Peek-A-Boo with momma and daddy while they were on the computer!

The most important part of the trip though was that you were BAPTIZED! Momma and daddy had you baptized at St. Peter's Luthren Church in Richmond, MI. After the baptism we had a cookout with the family and you were blessed with many presents and lots of love.

Month 10 brought improved walking skills and of course your first Halloween where you dressed up as a monkey for a brief period of time. You also started to "talk on the phone." Using anything your could get your hands on or even your hands themselves. You thought that everything was a phone and you babbled away!

Thanksgiving came in November, along with your ability to clap your hands by yourself. You also started to let momma know when you had dirty pants and needed to be changed. you would let momma know by coming up to her and grunting to get her attention. And when momma said "ok let's change your pants" you would head right down the hallway to your changing table!

December brought your 1st birthday! We had a huge party for you! We decorated the Lani and back yard in primary colors and Whinnie the Pooh decor. We had blow up pools, a sprinkler, bubbles, and a big hit was your sand and water table. You had a great time playing with all of the kids and just wondering around the yard. Momma made and decorated your Tigger cake and everyone sang Happy Birthday To You! Despite not feeling the best you were a trooper and played the part.

On your actual birthday Momma and Daddy took you to the Honolulu Zoo after your 1 year check up at the doctor's office. You had fun watching the monkeys swinging back and forth, and chasing after the wild peacock. You feel asleep as we were getting ready to head to lunch, but woke up in time to eat at the Cheesecake Factory. Momma shed a few tears as your time of birth past and Daddy got a few chuckles out of it. The waiters brought you fresh strawberries with whipped cream for your birthday surprise because strawberries are your favorite!

Noah it has been a wonderful year. Watching you grow has been remarkable, a year I hope that I never forget. Thank you for loving me unconditionally and for all the lessons you continue to teach me every day. You have filled my life with love, laughter and joy.

You are my sunshine and I will always love you to the moon and back.

With All My Love,

Momma

Can you believe we are half way there?

Dear Noah,

Can you believe that we are half way to your first birthday? It seems like yesterday you were born, but at the same time it is getting harder and harder to remember you being so little and dependent. You have grown again in so many ways! You are becoming more and more independent in everything you do, and while this is exciting, it is also sad for momma. I fear the day that you will not "need" your momma, but I rejoice in the evident fact that you are a thriving healthy little boy!

This month you have begun to drink out of a sippy cup. Although you do not get a ton of water out of it at any one time, you love to chew on the mouth piece and take it in and out of your mouth. I am quiet amazed by your hand eye coordination at such an early age.

You began to really scoot at the beginning of the month. First it was backwards and in a circle and slowly you started to move forwards and to the sides. As this month is coming to a close you have begun to push yourself up onto your hands and knees and you are even rocking back and forth! I think you are still trying to decide weather you want to crawl or bear walk, since you get all the way up onto your toes with your butt in the air. I am guessing that by next week you will have figured out how to actually crawl forward and momma will be in for a whole new adventure!

You began to really teeth this month too. And on 12 June 2010 your first tooth came through your gums! It was your front bottom right tooth. You were so good natured through it. About the only difference momma really noticed is that you didn't want to be left alone and you ate a little less. I thought that I would really miss your toothless grin, but I am definitely getting used to your new grin with a tooth!

You also tried some new foods to include watermelon (you loved it!), cantaloupe (hated it), mango (love), baby oatmeal (love), apple/blueberry (like) and peas (love). Needless to say you are not that picky so far.

Your hair is getting so long, momma isn't sure how much longer we can go without having it cut. It no longer wants to comb over to the side but go straight down the front and it is right above your eyes. We will have to see what happens. Momma is truly not ready to have your hair cut, so maybe Ms. Katie can look at it and give us some suggestions.

You are getting so big too. You are wearing mostly 9 month clothes, some 12 months and just a few 6 months. It is definitely time to pack away some more of your clothes and it will not be long before we will have to go out and buy you some more!

You have started staying up a little later at night. You now go to bed anywhere between 5-8pm, and you are still getting up between 4:15-6am. Momma and daddy enjoy having a little more time with you at night to be able to enjoy your laughter and smiles which have become quiet frequent and abundant.

Keeping the water in your bathtub is a challenge all in itself. You splash so much that almost half the water is out of your tub before momma can get you scrubbed up. You really want to sit up in your tub, and momma tried it, but you are so slippery it is hard. However, we will have to work on it because I don't think you will be able to lay back in it much longer, you are just to long.

As we begin the second half of the year together momma has prepared herself for change because it is obviously inevitable. You are changing everyday and in every way possible. Looking back at your photos I sometimes wonder where my little baby went, and then I realize that you haven't left me, but you have become an even more adorable little boy. Thank you for sharing your love with me and giving momma the moments she needs to accept all the changes that you bring to her life every day. Change is never easy, but you sure make going through it worth while.

With All My Love,

Momma

More than a Handful of Memories...

Dear Noah,

Five Months have past quicker than I have ever thought possible, but the memories that come with each one are numerous. This month was sure to not disappoint in the number of memories or "first" experiences for you.

You started the month off giving Momma and Daddy the biggest scare so far. You woke up at midnight on 7 May 2010 and Daddy was going to give you a bottle and put you back to sleep, but Momma could tell something was wrong with the way you were crying. You were so upset, and that is just not you. So I got up, and right away I could tell you were burning up. I quickly got you undressed to take your temperature and as I assumed it was high. 103.2 degrees! I quickly shoved some Tylenol down you, and called Grandma Mary. After a few minutes momma and daddy decided to take you to the ER. Momma quickly threw some bags together and got dressed. Daddy drove us to Tripler where we got in rather quickly. All the Doctors and nurses were really concerned and decided to run some test since they said it was not common for little babies to get that high of temperatures. You got your first catheter, IV, x-rays and multiple other "hospital" things and Momma got the prize of her first Puke bath. You got me good to. Right down the front of my shirt and into the bra. You couldn't have asked to have better aim. It was disgusting, but after a quick clean up, I was right back to worrying about you. Your temperature went up to 103.5 degrees which gave you the shakes. Momma was so scared that something else was wrong with you, but the doctors reassured me it was from your fever. After a long night of being poked and prodded you were admitted to the PEDS unit. The doctors continued to give you IV drugs and the grew cultures of your blood fearing you had gotten MIRSA, but as we would find out later nothing grew out of the cultures.

We spent two days in the PEDS unit. We not only celebrated you finally starting to feel better, we also celebrated momma's first Mother's Day in the hospital. You were a great baby through it all. You cried during your 2 IV's which is completely understandable, and you cried because you were so tired by Sat. morning you were beside yourself. When you finally got to sleep you were such a good baby. You never really complained about anything after you had gotten sleep even through all the poking by the nurses and doctors. You came down with the worst butt rash in the world and it looked so painful momma felt sorry for you. We put you in disposables for the first time since you were 5 weeks old because the medicine caused you to have such bad diapers we were going through them to fast to keep up with your cloth diapers. Plus momma could use creams on your bottom in the disposables.

We were finally sent home on oral medication late Sunday night. You spent the next week mostly recovering and trying to catch up on your sleep.

The following weekend you went with Momma and Daddy to a marriage retreat in Waikiki, HI. Daddy had to work it, so we all went along. This was your first hotel stay, and I must say you made out! We stayed at the Hilton Prince Kuhio Waikiki and it was a super nice hotel. Momma bounced you on the bed, Daddy showed you the sights of the ocean and city from the Balcony and you thought you were King of the bed while you held the remote and watched Sesame Street. You behaved like an Angel through all the meetings only letting out one little yell, when you woke up in your stroller not knowing where you were. You also went in a pool for the first time which you loved, but we couldn't stay long because the wind was just to chilly. Daddy, Momma and you strolled down Waikiki going in and out of some of the shops along the way and we had a bite to eat on our free time.

Momma's friend Bridget from college came to visit as well, and you and momma had a great time hanging out with her and showing her parts of the island.

The next weekend we had to leave the house again because it had to be termite tented, but the hotel wasn't nearly as nice this time around. Daddy, Momma and you spent Friday evening walking through Waikiki again and what a different site! There were street vender's and performers everywhere and of course tons of people. We ate on the rooftop Margarita Grill, and you had to much fun checking everything out to stay asleep for long. It was the first time you actually stayed awake late and you made it all the way to 10pm with only about a 20-30 min nap during dinner. I actually think that Momma and Daddy passed out before you after we got back to the hotel. We left the hotel early the next morning and spent the day out shopping and then over to Uncle Jake's and aunt Trish's.

You have continued to make your momma smile this month, and I have a feeling those smiles are not even about to stop. You make everyday worth waking up to and every night time prayer full of things to be thankful for. Thank you for being you. I look forward to watching you grow and experience life in every way.

Love Always,

Momma