Braces

It was big day for Jordan yesterday.  He got his braces put on finally!!  He's been going to the orthodontist for over 2 years now and he's had a palate expander in his mouth for at least a year .  I admit that I was a little bit giddy when the orthodontist told us about 7 weeks ago that it was time to get his braces on.  I don't know why but it just feels like a rite of passage.  He's officially a bigger kid.  Not that I want him to hurry up and grow up but..... I don't know how to explain it!  I'm excited for him.  Not quite a little boy anymore, but not quite a teenager.  It just feels like I have an OLDER kid now.  I didn't get my braces on until I was 14 or 15, which was also my freshman year of high school.  Jordan is lucky that his will be off before he starts high school.  You're welcome Jordan!  I'm such a nice mom, huh?  Anyways, this was the only picture he let me take and the only time he's smiled since he got them put on.  He's a bit sore.  Poor kid.  I think he looks quite handsome in his braces.  Don't you?

Grandma's Birthday

You know that old saying that you don't REALLY appreciate your mother until you have children of your own.  Well that tends to be the case for me.  Sure I've always loved my mother, but only after I had my first child was I truely able to appreciate all of the sacrifices that she's made for me.  My heart almost burst with the amount of love that I had for Jordan so I understood what unconditional love really felt like.  Thank you Mom for everything you have done for me.  You are a wonderful example of the kind of mother I want to be for my children.  I take all of your words of wisdom to heart and am so blessed to be able to call you Mom.

 Wednesday was my Mom's birthday!  She came over and we all had family dinner together.  I cooked and I'm not sure how great it was because I was so stuffed up that I could hardly taste or smell anything.  Aunt Liz brought dessert.  We had angel food cupcakes with strawberry buttercream frosting.  Yum!  Some of them even had chocolate covered strawberries on top.  Delaney helped sing Happy Birthday to Grandma and spit blew out her candle.  So precious.

Hope you had a wonderful birthday Mom!  We all love you so much!

While Mommy's Away

Every Wednesday while I'm at work, Rob is on "Super Dad" duty.  He takes Jordan and Kierstin to school and then takes care of our little girls the rest of the day.  Periodically I get some adorable picture texts (per my request) like the following shown below.

MELT.MY.HEART

Rob is a PHENOMENAL dad which makes me one very lucky lady.

Seven Months Old! 08.07.12

Harper you are SEVEN months old now!! 

Before the month gets away from me I better write down eveything you are up to lately.

Sleep: You are still a rockstar sleeper.  You generally sleep 10-11 hours at night.  The past week you've woke up crying, but you always fall back asleep before I have to go get you out of your crib.  I'm wondering if you're working on a tooth in that mouth of yours.

Feed:  You normally eat a 6 oz bottle five times a day with rice cereal, oatmeal, fruit or veggies twice a day.  So far you've liked pretty much everything I've fed you.  Bananas are not your favorite, but if I give it to you with some cereal or oatmeal mixed with it, you'll eat it.

Weight: You haven't been weighed since your six month appointment, but you're most certainly over 18 lbs now.  I LOVE your chubby thighs and cheeks!

Length: You are one long baby!!  Most of your clothes are 9-12 months now and they fit great.

Diapers/Clothes: You are still in size 3 diapers and like I said above 9-12 month clothes.

Hair Color/Eye Color: Your hair is lightening up.  I think you'll be a blondie like your brother and sisters.  You have the perfect amount of hair covering your head now.  No bald spot.  Yeah!  Your eyes are still a beautiful blue.

Milestones: You are sitting up on your own, but I don't trust you enough to leave you alone.  You like to jerk backwards and I don't want you to hit your pretty little head.  So we sit you up on the ground in the corner of the couch and you'll sit there for quite a while playing.  You are also still rolling around the room.  You never stay where I put you.

Favorite toys: You love sitting up or laying on the floor chewing on baby toys.  Or really anything you can find.  You love Mommy's necklaces.  Your eyes get all big and you grab at them fast.

Firsts:

First overnight stay at Grandma's 07.13.12

First shopping trip alone with Mommy 07.31.12

Wow we must have had a boring month considering those are the only two firsts I can come up with.  We've been busy with work, back to school and life in general.  Hopefully we have some new exciting firsts coming up soon!

Mommy loves you Harper!

Another School Year

Summer break is over.  At least for us it is.  We now officially have a 3rd grader and a 6th grader.  This is the first year that I did not walk Jordan to his classroom.  Sigh.  My baby is growing up.  So what did I do this morning instead of taking the kids to school??  I went to the dentist for a filling!  Sounds fun right?!  I swear I have the worst teeth.  I was eating lunch last week and one of my teeth broke.  I wasn't even eating anything hard!  Argh!!  Anyways, here's hoping that the kids have a fantastic first day of school and that I don't have to see the dentist again until my cleaning in November!

 Excited for the school year ahead!

 6th Grader!  Zoey would not get out of the picture.  Dumb dog.

Our sassy 3rd grader!  Her daddy picked out her outfit.  Not bad Rob...

Weightloss Update

I'm happy to report that I'm down to 144 lbs!  That means that I'm no longer overweight!!!!  My BMI is now 24.78 which is "normal weight" for my height.  I'm still going to lose at least 9 more lbs but I'm just so thrilled to be were I'm at right now.  That's 41 lbs lost since 02/25/12.  I'm almost 7 months post partum and weigh LESS then when I got pregnant.  I feel amazing and am so proud of myself.

For so long I saw the gym as something I had to do rather then something I wanted to do.  Lately I go because I want to be there.  It's a new high for me to be working out and bettering myself.  I love feeling fit and healthy.  When I've had a long and frustrating day, an hour at the gym makes me feel a million times better.  It's made a huge difference in my life overall.  I'm a happier person, which rubs off on my family.  My kids have the mommy that they deserve.

This picture was taken on Saturday with the birthday boy. 

And because no post is complete without a cute baby picture.  She'll be 7 months old TOMORROW!

Twelve

Happy Birthday to Jordan!!!  He's TWELVE years old today!!!

We had a small family party with pizza, salad, cake and of course presents!

He got lots of money and video games.  He's spoiled I tell ya.  As he should be on his special day.  He really is a good kid. 

 The older I get, the faster the years seem to zoom by.  It seems impossible that I could be old enough to be the mother of a twelve year old.

I asked Jordan some questions so that we can look back and remember all of the things he liked at this age.

Jordan - Age 12

1.)  My favorite food to eat is PIZZA.

2.)  I don't like to eat FISH.

3.)  My favorite place to eat is at LUCILLE'S BBQ.

4.)  I like to order RIBS AND NOODLES.

5.)  My favorite color is BLUE.

6.)  My FRIENDS AND FAMILY make me happy.

7.)  I'm afraid of SPIDERS AND SCORPIONS.

8.)  My favorite thing to do is PLAY COMPUTER GAMES.

9.)  I wish for LOTS OF MONEY.

10.)  If I could go anywhere, I'd go to the ATLANTIS RESORT IN THE BAHAMAS.

11.)  My favorite holiday is CHRISTMAS.

12.)  My favorite toy is the PLAYSTATION 3.

13.)  My favorite animals are DOGS.

14.)  My favorite books are the PERCY JACKSON SERIES.

15.)  My favorite song is anything by LINKIN PARK.

16.)  My favorite game is ROBLOX.

17.)  My favorite movie is THE AVENGERS.

18.)  My favorite TV show is FAMILY GUY.

19.)  My favorite sport is SOCCER.

20.)  My favorite thing to do at school is PLAY SOCCER WITH FRIENDS.

21.)  My favorite subject is MATH.

22.)  My favorite teacher so far is MRS. HOUNIHAN.

23.)  My best friends are RICK, CARSON, NOAH, NOE, AND ADRIANNA.

24.)  When I grow up I want to be a POLICE OFFICER.

25.)  I love MY MOM!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JORDAN!!!  I HOPE YOU HAVE THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!!  YOU ARE SUCH A SPECIAL KID AND I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!