Christmas Pictures and Bad Baby

There are way to many talented photographers in this area. Seriously, it makes it hard to choose who does what pictures and such. I love love love the photog who does Reagan's milestone ones. I probably have said it before but she did our wedding so she does hold a special place in my heart. I will continue to use her no doubt. But then, there is a young and super talented photographer who is going to be doing my brother's wedding next June. I've stalked her on facebook and have always liked her work. She offers a lot of mini sessions fairly cheap so I love using her for those! She is the one who did the mommy and me and her Halloween. When she offered a Christmas mini for $100 I jumped on it! Normally we don't do Christmas cards but when you have a little cutie you have to show her off! Those of you that are facebook friends with me have already seen them but for those of you who aren't (please feel free to add me!) here are my favorites from the session.

Reagan is such a chatter box these days.  Not everything is coherent but she does say some things very clearly beyond momma and dada. Puppy and kitty are favorites, along with Kate. Her newest one which she has picked up at the sitters is bad baby. When you ask her how she was at the sitter she answers bad baby. I promise she isn't a bad baby all the time (except when she took an ornament off J's tree and chucked it!) but to hear her say it is adorable.

9 Month Pictures

Seriously, 9 month pictures. The next ones will be 1 year. I'm not sure if I'm mentally prepared for that. Although, I did see in an email that I get that talks about the milestones your baby has this quote...

It kills you to see them grow up. 

But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn't.

Barbara Kingsolver

What a powerful statement. It seriously made me stop in my tracks this morning as I was reading it. I couldn't imagine not having that wiggly, giggly, sometimes cranky, Ms. Independent little girl.

So back to happy thoughts, here is the preview of her pictures along with the link to see them all!

www.photographybyluann.com Then click on view proofs and her session was in October.

 

Bullet Points

I know this sounds like a broken record but I have a few posts that I start and don't finish due to time or thoughts change or what have you. So right now, instead of a complete post, bullet points are all I have.

*I have a 10 month old, double digits. Yea I'm not sure how it happened either.
*She has 6 teeth and is working on some more. Matt says soon she will be asking for steak for supper.
*She stands on her own, a little wobbly but stands.
*She took her first steps, at the sitters. For the first time I didn't want to be a working mom anymore. I beat myself up pretty good over that but that guilt is for another post.
*Harvest is winding down, thank goodness
*How is it November already?
*We have family pictures next Saturday, I have yet to find Reagan a Christmas dress.
*Reagan says, mama, dada, puppy, kitty (well more like ki but we think it means kitty), up, all gone, bad, bye bye
*When you tell her no, she laughs.
*I'm still reading your blogs even though I haven't been commenting lately. The same goes for the facebook groups I'm a part of.
*I am working on a new project, maybe someday it will get finished.

Now for some pictures from Halloween, the cutest ladybug I've ever seen!

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday Thoughts

Thanks to Pinterest.


Harvest is here. Say a prayer that it gets over soon and we can return to our normal lives!



I need some time with my cows, seriously! Time to decompress and be around things that make me happy.

 
Yup. Nothing more needs said.

 
And finally for some giggles because I swear they all come out during harvest...

Happy Tuesday!

It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times...

Pumping that is.

Today is my first full day of not pumping and while I am okay with the decision, but I didn't get there overnight. It took me over a month to decide that this was the best time to quit pumping. I knew with harvest approaching it would be near impossible. Plus, it wouldn't be fair to the other counterparts in the office to leave them hanging.

When I made the decision to quit pumping I went back and forth quite a few times. I placed a lot of guilt on myself which was completely unwarranted I know but nonetheless I did. My guilt came from the feeling of quitting. I have never been a quitter, even on certain things or jobs but I was raised that if you started something you finished it. Yet here I was, giving up before I reached my goal of one year. I was quitting. Irrational yes, a bit dramatic of course but this is how I felt. Then I started thinking of other things. I don't have to pack the pump, make sure I have enough storage bags, cleaning pieces and parts, it feels liberating. For example, I have to work today and be at work by 8. My brother and future sis in law are watching Reagan and they go to 7:30 mass so I had to have Reagan to my parents by 7.  I got to sleep an extra half hour because I didn't have to pump this morning.  Plus I didn't have to drag another bag out the door. Score!

So tonight I have to clean the pump and I am going to put it away in the closet and hoping that I will need it again.

If I Had to Choose Again...

4 years ago today on  bright sunshiney gorgeous September day I said I do to an amazing man. A man who has seen me at my worst, a man who has seen me at my best and every where in between. I couldn't imagine spending my life with anyone else.

I've wanted to write a post about Matt for awhile, ever since Reagan was born I have wanted too but other things have come up and it keeps getting pushed to the back burner. So no time like your anniversary right!

My open letter to Matt,

There was no love at first sight for me, I didn't have time for a boyfriend and quite frankly didn't want one. Little did I know the plans God had for us when I met you that night. As time went on you were always there through those crazy high school years and somehow I think you knew what was coming when I went off to college. I broke your heart over a phone call, it wasn't fair to you and down right cruel to just drop you like a hot potato. I won't lie though, I had a blast in college but you did cross my mind, when a song would come on, driving somewhere, eating at a restaurant. Maybe it was subliminal hints, telling me who I was meant to be with. Running into you at Burger King that summer day I'm pretty sure was fate. Hanging out that summer felt comfortable, like that old worn in hooded sweatshirt in the back of your closet. From that point on, I knew in my heart I was going to marry you.

Source-Pinterest

Our wedding day was everything I had ever hoped for. While the cards have faded, pictures put away the memories are still there and will always be close to my heart. Our first years of marriage weren't perfect. We had our ups and downs like any couple but it made us stronger and our love deeper. They say love grows in little houses and I couldn't agree more. When we knew we were ready to have a baby you were my rock when things didn't go as they should have. Your no nonsense approach was what kept me grounded and pushed me to keep going. You knew it would happen and it did.

The day we had Reagan I was so scared. I wanted her to arrive safely and knew a c-section was the only way to guarantee that. You being there and supporting me in whichever way we decided to go was priceless. Then I sent you home to gather up all the bags and extra stuff. To this day I'm still surprised you were able to get it all there. I melted the first time I saw you holding her and even now my favorite site is you and her together.

While things aren't always perfect, we worry, we fight, we make up please know that on my darkest days you are always there and when you slip and stumble I am there for you to pick you right back up. There are days I take you for granted but please know that I would be lost without you. I am the luckiest woman because I get to call you my husband and father to our children. So happy anniversary Matt, I love you with all my heart. 

Source-Pinterest

Checking In

I feel like it has been forever since I have had an update on Reagan. Time just slips away because I now have an 8 month old, like seriously!

She has learned to pull herself up onto everything! The sitter said on Friday she came back to her standing up in the crib just smiling away. Reagan has added her fingerprints to the collection on the back door at the sitters as well. After seeing her standing up in her own crib we lowered it way down so now when she stands up in it she can't topple over.

We are babbling, talking and yelling and sometimes all at once. Baba is the favorite word followed by Mama (not being biased at all!). I still have not heard Dada (Matt says he has) though so I just told him we know who the favorite is!

We have 4 teeth coming in all at once. Poor girl has been a champ through it. There are times when she is fussier and doesn't know whether she wants held or to be left alone. At those times it is best to give her a cold chew toy, lambie (her favorite blanket), binks and put her in her crib.

She will take a few assisted steps but nothing major yet. Getting anything done around the house with her crawling everywhere is darn near impossible. When I am trying to get things done she spends time in baby jail (aka the play pen). She also manages to find everything that the sweeper or swiffer has missed and feels that it needs to go into her mouth.

She understands the word No but doesn't always like to abide by it. The first time you say no she smiles, the second time she giggles and by the 3rd time I have moved her away from the object and usually a tantrum ensues. Lord help me when her terrible 2's come along.

Hey new friend!

After swimming bottle with Aunt Nikki

Blueberries-1 Brutus-0

Um Mom please let me out