PICTURES ...

Tatum goes to the Ball Park

Um yeah this was one of 3 times that the child has been up past 7:30 pm.

I am a freak about her schedule ... it really stresses me out if we are not home and in bed on time ... but we did a late nap and guess what ... she did GREAT! Not even 1 melt down!

I think it helped that we were in a box with food and place to run!

The crowd cheered for a good play ... she joined them!

Tatum and her friend Kaylie ... so glad her and her Daddy joined us!

I love this one ... she was sitting on my lap ...

Bowden Gets Tubes ...

Just like his sister ... I couldn't resist the pictures in that cute little gown ... Of course we were again the only ones in the place with a camera! HAHA

To see Tatum in her gown click HERE

We arrive at the surgery center at 6:30 am

Bowden is STARVING ... hasn't eaten since 11:30 pm

I woke him to feed him knowing if I didn't this would be a bad day

he was happy and really was a good baby!

Look at that diaper hinney ... don't you want to pinch it?!
He has no idea they are coming to get him!

Arrive Surgery at 6:30

Leave by 8

Home playing by 8:45

He did GREAT!

Fun in the Fort!

My mom bought Tatum a tent/tunnel thing for her Birthday ... She has been begging Bowden to go through the tunnel ... but he wont! I decided we (me and dad) needed to play with her ...

Um yeah ... check this out:

Mommy crawls through the tunnel ... Tatum came over top of me and out of the tunnel also!

Daddy trying very hard to get out of the tunnel!

Bowden trying to tell Dada that it is okay ... he IS here to help with a pat pat pat!

Update

• Bowden got tubes on Tuesday, he is doing well! No GREAT changes yet, but I think things will start to get better with his breathing and his constant ear aches.
• I have tons and tons of pictures I want to share with all of you and NO (NONE) time to do that right now!
• I am not sure who I let schedule all the things for me that are on my calendar, but I say it every year ... I wont do all of that again.
• I am not so much into blogging that much anymore ... why you say?! Well I really feel out of control. EVERY blog I read is struggling with; loss, money, posting, romantically, or even with pregnancy. It is not building my spirits any and yes I am one struggling also!
• um yeah that is about it for me ... I am out ... love you all ... sorry I have been absent and I will be back to post some pictures!

Do you think she is excited?!

Tatum LOVED, LOVED the cake, singing and the candles ...

all she wanted was more more more!

My baby is 2

I am so not sure where all the time went, but it has been 2 FULL years since my Tata was born. Today my sweet baby girl turns 2. I can't believe she is 2. I messed up her 1 year birthday party ... it was HOT, I was 7.5 months preggo and it snuck up and screeched out the door before I knew it. This year I am a little more prepared. We are having a double birthday party for her and one of my best friends daughter. Kaylie is turning 3, Tatum is turning 2. Since we would have invited ALL the same people we just doubled it up. We are having a pool party Saturday in the day and then that evening all babies go to Grandparents and the adults are having a cook out at our house! I can't wait! Melbel found this cute outfit for me on Etsy for Tatum ... check her out ...

Tatum,

Baby girl I don't even know where to start. The last 2 years have been the best of my life. I can remember my parents telling me to enjoy high school, that those days would be some of the best in my life. Now they are telling me to enjoy your baby years, that soon I will miss the sleepless nights and the cries, rocking and diapers. I see it already. You are growing like a weed. Your smile in infectious and your laugh is breath taking. You are my sunshine. I look forward to your hugs, smiles and "isses", yes even with open mouth. You are such a joy, hardly ever a bad baby. A great sleeper, great eater and a wonderful big sister. You know exactly how to make people laugh and when you catch onto them laughing you will do it every time you see them ... just to make them laugh. I love you, I cherish every moment we have together and I look forward to every moment we will have in the future. I love you, you are my sunshine and hope you have a great birthday!

Let Summer Begin

Um can we all say BUSY?!

Memorial weekend was the start of all of it for us ...

Saturday we went to the beach,

Sunday we went to the River,

Monday we had a cook out and pool party!

My kids are exhausted!

I am exhausted!

This weekend we are going camping ...

Local to Pirate Land!
With 10 other couples and kids too!

I think all in all there will be 24 of us ... not including any visitors!
Next weekend we are camping again ...

Out of town for my Hubby's Family Reunion!
The weekend after that he has a catering!
The rest of the summer consists of 2 weddings, a bachlorette party and another race!

Tatum and Bowden's Birthday parties.

A trip to Ohio and ending it all with a trip to Cancun ...

Um yeah does that leave any time to breath?!

Pray for us all!

For your viewing pleasure ... My babies

I'm gonna get you ...

Drama Queen

Beach Baby!

River Rat!

What is wrong?!

Can anyone tell me why MY blogger isn't updating me?!

I installed the ever so nice blog roll on my side bar ...

it is supposed to update each blog with their last post?!

It isn't working ... WHY?!

HELP PLEASE!

It's My Birthday

I am 34 ... holly cow I am getting up there!

Tuesday my girls took me out to dinner and to a bar afterwards to celebrate early.

I had a blast, but it was not a good idea to go out on a work night.

It took me all day yesterday to recover!

Like always it is Bike Week ... my birthday is always during bike week

and really I think that it is the BEST present. I am in awwe of all the noise, and bikes.

I wish I were not so afraid of riding my own bike.

I used to ride my own bike ... now I am scared. I guess babies will do that to you!

Of course my husband was wonderful today ...

I woke to 2 cards one from him and the other from the babies ...

The card from him ... is the SAME card I got last year read here.

It made me cry last year and again this year. I told him this am it was the same card!

He giggled and asked why they don't take them from the shelf.

I told him I didn't care if he gave me the same card for the rest of my life!

I still have last years card ... and now I have this one too!
I will keep both forever!

Along with the card I got a gift certificate to shop ... I need new clothes! YEAH ME!

(I am still loosing weight)

He also got me a gift certificate for a spa day!

And a small shelf with a picture frame arrangement on it that spells family! I love it!

So dear Internet ... I am off to have a great day ... getting older and wiser!

Hope you all send me birthday wishes!

Less than a month

In less than 1 month by baby girl will be 2.

OMG where has all that time gone?!

That is the hard thing of having 2 under 2 ~

I feel like I miss so much with each of them!

We will be having a pool party for her in June just after her real B-day.

Anyone have any suggestions for some cool toys?!

I already bought her the Birthday outfit!

I can't wait to show you pictures~!

PS the boy ... slept great for 3.5 full weeks - 7 - 6:30 it was wonderful!

Now we are back to waking up at least 2 times - going back to the Chiropractor!

Funny

Last night we were playing the OH so fun "where's Tatum game?"

She was running around "I runnnnin" the house.

When she would put the bag on her head she would stop dead in her tracks ... 

We would all say "where's Tatum?' 

You all know the game -

Each time she removed the bag we would say "There's Tatum" 

okay so here is the funny - 

After about the 3rd time of me saying "there's Tatum" 

she would pull the bag off her head and say "thre she is" 

the next time she would say "I fnd her" 

It was so funny I almost peed my pants! 

She also got to the point where she would have the bag on her own head and say "were tata."

She is amazing me with all that she is saying now! 

PS I tried to video it, but every time I tried she would stop. 

Gotta get her used to the camera - when you pull it out she says "picher cheeeesss" and pauses for you to take her picture - she doesn't get that we are trying to take video! hahaha   

Whisper

Whisper

I am whispering this post ...

I am afraid if I say it out loud it will all change ...

The BOY ... the Hell Pest ... the one I haven't been enjoying ...

He has turned the corner!

He is human!

He still has his moments, he still spits up a few times a day.

He still requires being rocked to sleep.

BUT ...

He is sleeping so well!

He is NOT crying near like he was!

He is smiling a lot!
FINALLY at 8.5 months he is giggling.

That is the best sound ever ... I never thought I would hear him laugh!

But yep he is ... he is giggling, and he is too too cute!
Thank God he is so cute or I wouldn't have gotten to see this part of him! hahah

Please keep praying for us ... I hope this post doesn't bite me in the ass!

PS he has been doing better for about 3 weeks ... I was scared to write about it before now! haha!

Me and My BE otches

We call ourselves the SnowBE's.

We all went to college together.

As the years have passed we have all be there for each other!
This weekend was just another one of those weekends.

It was Lisa's Bachlorette Party.

She is finally getting a middle name!!!

I had fun, and it was so nice to get away from the babies and the hubby.
But to tell you the TRUTH ... I missed them so so much!

It was almost like a panic would just take over me.

I would be sitting there laughing having a ball then BAMM I would be crying.

It is SO overwhelming to be away from them.

I love my girls, I LOVED my time with them,

but I hope that leaving my babies will get easier soon!

I will see them all again soon ... we have Lisa's wedding in July.

Naji bachlorette party in August, and her wedding in November.

I love you all ... I had a blast!

No words

I am in a rut ... I don't have much to say other than WHEN?!

Wont you all pray that the courts will hurry UP and get us in to hear our case.

Oh wait ... have I told you?! Do you know what I am talking about?!

Work -

My work sucks right now. We are on the brink of bankruptcy.

2 weeks we have had to hold off payroll and my dad and I have had to wait 2 weeks for our pay.

We have a $451,000 lien on a job. Not to bore you ... the contractor bonded it off.

So the job was able to get the CO (certificate of occupancy) and now we just wait.

The Lawyer said it could be MONTHS ... Months ... are you serious?!
We wont make it months.

So you add that to having 2 babies under 2, a workaholic husband and the fact that my dad is 63 and does not deserve this ... you can say I am a mess! Yep a mess!

Pray for me!

Great day

So yesterday was the ABSOLUTE best day EVER with Bowden.

He was an angle ... I don't think he cried all day ... matter of fact I know he didn't!

He took 3 naps ... 2 20 minutes and 1 that was almost 45.

He played and smiled all day! He was so much fun!

However ... Tatum was SICK! She ran a fever on and off all day! Runny nose and bad cough!

Today Bowden was back to his same old ways ... cried all day and didn't sleep at all.

He now is sick and has the fever and cough. It is horrible!

I am glad that I had yesterday with him ... makes all of the bad days worth it!

Easter

Sorry it is late - here is our Easter in Pictures!

Tatum is taking her Bubbie down the slide with her ...

This my friends is why I have not given him away yet ...

isn't he just adorable!
HAHA this is what they would say if they spoke adult language:
Bowden - "why is she yelling like a cheetah?"
Tatum - "OMG give me my basket!"
Bowden - "Hell no - not until you quit hitting me in the head!"

Did you guys know she could wear something other than pink?!

My gosh we make pretty babies!

In honor of Madeline

Madeline Alice Spohr

I am so confused, scared and concerned for this family.

I have been a lurker of their blog for a long time.

I never really commented ... I didn't want them to see me complain about my baby boy, when they had real problems. So when I went to the site and it said that she was in the hospital I started to pray. I don't know what happened or why. I have no words to express just how horrible I feel for them. I have no thoughts or ideas on how to make them feel better. I AM going to donate, but really will that help?!

I will be praying, praying for them to find comfort within each other, in God and with the fact that little Maddie touched us all. I am so glad that they had the chance to know her, to live with her, but WHY WHY did she have to go?! I didn't even get a chance to meet her and I just want to lash out and yell at the top off all mountains ... BRING HER BACK! Love to you all and my you find peace with this some way or another!

Camping ... but not in the rough

My company (I am part owner of the construction company I work at) did SO bad last year that I got HUGE taxes back. Now ... since we did do so bad I offered that money back to my company. I offered it up, and my dad told me NO! (I love you daddy, haha hehe can you tell I am spoiled) Said company pays my taxes every year, but when I tried to give it back my dad said we deserve a break ... to go and buy something we want, but would NEVER finance or buy ourselves. SO ... we did it ... we bought a Travel Trailer!

It is 30' with 2 slide outs ... one in the living area/kitchen table and one in the kids bedroom.

We bought it 2 weekends ago (C*raigs List) and didn't waste anytime taking it camping ... We went to a local campground, Ocean Lakes. It was awesome! My Parents have a RV ... 36' 3 slide outs and yes it is very very NICE. Nicer than some people's homes. We usually go with them, but when we went on the last trip it was hard with 4 adults, 2 kids and a dog ... so Andy and I started looking at Travel Trailers. Knowing it was just a dream until our other house sold ... but when my DADDY gave me back my taxes we JUMPED on it!

The inside of the camper ... living area
Master bed room ... not much room on either side of the bed, but we just jump on it and go night night!


The back bedroom ... it has bunks and a entertainment area ... we used it as the diaper changer ... haha has just enough room for the pack-n-play!


We put a baby gate in the door way ... I heard very bad things about the doors not latching well ... Bowden loved the camper, he didn't sleep well at all! (not unusual) but he was happy the rest of the time.



Tatum enjoying a snack on her rocking chair. She loves the RV ... she has been in my parents too many times to count and she LOVES ours - she can't wait to sleep on the bunks ... we are trying to make something to make sure she can not fall out of. Also because Bowden still doesn't sleep well she slept in a pack-n-play in my parents camper.
OF course the campground was on the BEACH ... I can't wait for consistently warm weather!

Bowden's first hand full of sand!

He is going to be walking very very soon!

Me and my babies. Even though being a mommy to Bowden is by far the hardest job I have ever taken on I do love them both dearly! Thank you God for my beautiful babies!

My Family!!!

Different Dr

Well I have been doing some research ... and some asking around ... it seems that some mommies SWEAR by they chiropractor to help with Acid Reflux. SO .... today my friends I took my 7 month old son to the chiropractor! I was so so scared, however when we got there it was easy as pie. NO crying, NO whining, and really it went all too well. NOW ... wait and see if it helps at all. We were asked to come back tomorrow, I guess to make sure that he is still in line. The Dr showed me the 4 trigger points on the body that effect Acid Reflux and all 4 trigger points were "out of line." I hope that this works. - Best part of all of it ... IT WAS FREE!!!! Our Chiropractor doesn't charge on children until the age of 18. OMG why didn't I try earlier?! He had mentioned to my mom that we should take him in, I was just scared. Our 10 days of meds is up, we will be going back to the Dr. this week and getting a referral to a specialist ... maybe the Chiro will fix it all?!

Stay tuned tomorrow I am posting on our first family camping trip ... we bought a travel trailer and we went to a local camp ground. We had a blast, the babies did well ... all except for baby Bowden and his sleeping. OH Well one day he will sleep ... I just pray it is soon!

Distant

I am here, I am alive, I am sorry that I am/have been distant.

I haven't been leaving comments, but I have been reading.

I know that one of my blog goals was to one day have 50 comments.

I know I WILL NEVER have 50 comments if I am not posting or commenting myself.

But really ... why do I want those 50 comments?!

What would that prove or mean?!
I can not spell, I am not good at expressing myself and mostly I write about boring baby stuff.

So why is it that I want 50 comments?!
I dunno - just did.

Today right now I am letting that GO!

I am GOOD with letting it go!

I am over wanting 50 comments.

I am still having problems "loving" my son.

He is getting better, So many more times a day I do love him.

He still has very bad days, but they are only about 1 time in a week.

He is so darn cute I could kiss him to death.

(lucky for us and him he is cute, I don't know how I would love him if not, haha)

Then he starts screaming, Tatum starts screaming and it is a mad house.

I really think Tatum starts screaming to get more attention than him ... even though she is SPOILED ROTTEN and gets SO MUCH attention!

But with that being said ... blogging is on my back burner, I do read ... I read my blog roll everyday! I am sorry I have not commented ... I am here with you all!

Love you - miss you all and I am praying for all of you! Please pray for me too!

This week we went BACK to the Dr with Bowden. We tried the 5th formula, and then the 6th. The 5th he was allergic to ... that stopped after bottle 2 ... we are also on a new "spasm" med. Also back on the Axid ... which I think does not help his sleeping, but I really think he is in pain ... and the ONLY pain the Dr thinks it can be is acid reflux. SO ... trial and error again ... we are now on a soy formula. Can't tell if it is working yet! Tatum was a extremely happy baby I do not and CAN not expect Bowden to be that happy but I can PRAY for him to be comfortable. I fear every am, afternoon and evening that there is SOMETHING wrong that we are missing!

Night Night for now ... I am open for some hugs, kisses and prayers!

Pictures

I had a few requests for some before pictures of me ... so here ya go

This is Labor Day of 2007 ... Tatum was 3 months and I was not yet preggo with Bowden!

This is October of 08 ... Bowden was born in August of 08

I think this was my heaviest. (210lbs)

This is January 09 ... just before the "life change diet" started!

Now ... much lighter and feeling better ...

I am now at 180 ... my goal weight was 175 for Naji wedding ...

I just readjusted that to 167. (I know weird #, but I didn't want to push too much and I wanted to be realistic!)

In the picture below ... I LOVE, LOVE how big my pants are!

Sucks to have to buy all new, but that is a great problem to have!

Andy took this Monday AM ... it was Bowden's first day of Day Care ... I will blog about that tomorrow!

So are you changing your life? Are you working out?! Eating Different?! Share with me! I will hit a flat point soon!

My Weight Secrete

I got several e-mails and several comments telling me how HOT I looked ... THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! I thought maybe since most of us have at one point or time struggled with our weight that I would share with you my secrete.

A few things:

It was NOT my sickness! I was sick with a head and chest cold ... not a tummy cold.

I have not been HUNGRY at all!

I have been eating 4 - 5 times a day!

Step 1 ... Get a support team. The hubby and I joined our local rec center ... Choose to Loose ... it is like the Biggest Looser, only local. Our support team is our family! (Well his family) they are all on our team! We are very open and honest, we all weight infront of each other, we measure in front of each other and we tell ALL!

Step 2 ... We bought smaller plates. Smaller plates = smaller portions!

Step 3 ... get rid of all good things in your pantry ... yep the girl scout cookies you just bought ... donate them to the day care, or your childs school!

Step 4 ... Go shopping ... buy all YUCKY things ... just kidding! Really we bought all low fat or NO FAT! Really it was hard for a few days, but now it is EASY! It really doesn't taste bad! We switched to only wheat pasta, no sugar (Splenda only), no fried food, wheat bread! Instead of YUMMY fattening snacks we are eating fruit! Also ... lots and lots of chicken and turkey. Turkey ground in things instead of ground beef is really good!

Step 5 ... eat breakfast! Something small and with fruit!

Step 6 ... I am eating out everyday at lunch the same I was before, but now I am leaving 1/2 of all the serving on my plate! That is the RULE leave 1/2 of what the restaurant gives you!

Step 7 ... know that you are HUMAN and you will fumble!

Step 8 ... I promise that if you stick with the good for you food, you will just like it. We went out of town last week and both of us by day 4 had upset stomach from the food we ate!

This is a change of life ... not a diet, not counting or watching what you eat ... just changing what or how you eat it! My friends this is what I did ... we have been doing it since February I have lost 14 lbs, went from a size 22 to a 16. My hubby has lost 31 lbs and has went from a 42 pant to a 38. Today 4 guys at work asked me how much weight I have lost ... NO THEY DO NOT READ my blog! They saw it ... it made me cry! I am proud of my self ... the next step is starting to work out! That will be a little while ... with the babies it has been VERY hard to find anytime, but I will very SOON!

So good luck to you all!