Social Pixie

My baby is growing into quite the socialite!
Pixie is starting to interact with everyone..even greasy strange mechanics!
We brought her to her grandparent's house on Sunday and she gave her first hint of a laugh. On Thursday morning she gave me an all out chuckle..which turned into screaming really fast when she inhaled her spit or something. But it was still cute. I was changing her diaper after we woke up and was being silly, she laughed at my "jazz hands".

Happy in the morning!

Flying at Grandma and Grandpa's

Isn't that an adorable little face?

Crib Success!

Kizzie shared her toddler bed success story. Today I'll share my crib success!
This picture was taken two days before I went into labor. I had such high hopes for this crib, I searched for months for the perfect crib and nothing compared to this one. Besides, it was the cheapest anyway!

This is what I wanted to happen once Pixie was born...

She lasted less than two minutes in there.
The crib has been only a pretty piece of furniture...until today! Today my crib was actually functional!
I have been racking my brain on what to do to get Pixie to sleep on her own. Even during the day the only way she'll nap, not on me, is if I put her in her swing. Even when she's sleeping in the car she'll wake up if we turn it off or come to a stop light. She constantly has to be moving or smashed up next to me.
Yesterday I came across the forum of The Baby Whisperer. I had been looking for a solution that didn't involve "crying it out". I was almost to the point that I was going to try that, but I have read so many things on it and I just didn't want to do it.
So, I decided to try her "Pat/Shush" method today for Pixie's naps.
This is for babies under 4 months old. She has other modified methods for older babies. The idea is to put them in their crib when they are sleepy and almost going to fall asleep. You pat their back and make a shushing sound. If they cry a lot, you can pick them up and do it on your shoulder to calm them down and then put them back in the crib. The idea is to help them calm themselves while you are there comforting them, leaving them emotionally connected. Things they need to fall asleep like bouncing or a pacifier are called props and should be avoided.

For sure Pixie's "prop" is motion. Being rocked or bounced is the only way she would go to sleep besides being nursed.
So, today I tried it. I didn't think it would work when she wouldn't even calm down on my shoulder for me to put her in the crib. She screamed so loud in my ear I wore an earplug. Enough time went by that I decided to feed her again. She calmed down after eating a bit, then we tried it again. I used a box fan for white noise. This time she did pretty well and fell asleep only a few seconds after she stopped crying. It took 1 1/2 hours total for me to get her to sleep and she slept 45 min. in the crib! Hooray! That was a victory in itself. However, for her next nap it only took 8..yes..EIGHT minutes for her to fall asleep and she slept for a little over an hour!
I don't know that I'll try it at night yet, Scott is home tonight and there is no good reason why we both have to be up all night. I'll try it over the 3 nights he's at work, I'll be nice and exhausted by the time church comes around!

My Pixie

Pixie is 8 weeks old tomorrow.
I haven't blogged anymore pictures of her since she was born!
She is starting to interact more and is getting a lot more fun.
She will play with her toys for a while now by herself. Yippee!

5 days old

2 1/2 weeks old. Her first trip to church. She was being eaten by the boppy.

It's so cute how babies sleep sometimes. Right now she has a hand over her eyes.

Just really started getting interested in toys...I think around 4 weeks.

Got the baby acne at 4 weeks. What happened to my lovely baby complexion!?

6 weeks. Grilling with Daddy at Uncle Stephen's.

She is so strong! She's been super active since birth.

I love this frown! She started doing that around 5 weeks I think. I got that stain on her shirt...she didn't. It came out. :)

She first smiled for me at 4 1/2 weeks. They've gotten better ever since! I've only begun to start being able to catch them..kinda.

Look at that dimple!

I have to prop her up with her toys when she sleeps in the swing. Micah's son, Shayd, gave her the bunny the day she was born. It's her pal.

Pixie giving me another smile.

Her just chillin' look. She is the best on her changing table. It's a bummer I can't leave her there!

I broke the spell. Isn't this cute though?!?

TTA and Being a Mommy!

I figure I can roll yesterday's TTA on "sight" into this post today.
My in-sight on being a mother!

There are less sights to behold when you are a new mother. The first few weeks I had a hard time focusing on things at a distance. Mostly because I was tired, but partly because I was staring at this little thing in my arms all the time. I mean that literally...ALL the time!
The sights I saw were Pixie, hopefully my bed, the couch, my boppy, mad dashes in the kitchen to find something to eat before she freaked out again, the computer, and the t.v. We only have the one local station and I found out that they have a blank screen from 2-5:30am.
The first two weeks were..well...that hot and fiery place.

Everyone says not to let your baby sleep with you, but I was just happy that at two weeks she would finally let me lie down and actually sleep if she was right next to me. Every man that Scott talks to tells him that once they're in your bed they don't get out, but I don't want her in bed with me. When she's old enough she'll just have to tough it out I guess.
I now know the appeal of "one stop shop" stores. It's not so easy to get in and out anymore...especially if she's asleep and wakes up when I move her in and out of the car. I'm lucky if she'll tolerate being in her car seat more than 3 minutes. I have a sling I put her in and sometimes it's a life saver...of course..sometimes she hates being confined. Actually, recently I went out on a shopping trip and had to cut it short because I had her in her sling and her diaper failed us....leaving her outfit, the sling, and my shirt soiled.
I am lucky she takes a pacifier...I am not lucky that she will not keep it in by herself.

Showers are luxury. I make the effort to take a shower and put on make-up as much as I can. Finding clothes that will fit me now is a chore.
Pixie will let me put her in the swing for a nap now, thank goodness. I usually run around like a crazy lady trying to get things done. Cooking, dressing, picking up things off the floor, and doing dishes are some of the things that are so hard to do with her on me. I spend most of my "free" time doing dishes. How I'd love a dishwasher!
I do try to sleep with her for one of her naps usually every other day or so. I used to need 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep to have a good night. Now I think it's great if she only woke up 3 times before 7am.
I decided that I need to workout, which means that I'm going to be cutting into my precious cleaning time while Pixie's napping...unless Scott is actually home and able to hold her for a while. I usually take that time to cook, go to the bathroom by myself...and clean some more!
Today after my shower I actually got about 10 minutes of a workout in!
I know I could probably walk at the park in the morning, but I've been afraid to go by myself with the stroller and have to end up holding her and pushing the stroller because she's freaking out in it.
I love Pixie and being a mother feels good, but my goodness..babies can be so demanding!

Two Years

Two Years!
Monday was our second anniversary.
I woke up to Scott gone and was a bit sad. I thought he might have gone to work on the lake house we're fixing up with Stephen, but he returned later and ended up not going because it was going to rain the entire day! Yay!
Scott brought me a dozen roses..they are so beautiful! He also made me breakfast.

I then went to work on making us an anniversary cake. I made the same recipe as our wedding cake was. White cake with raspberry filling and butter cream frosting. I didn't have enough raspberry jam, so I had to use wild blueberry on the top layer. It was still yummy!

I had to go close a Pampered Chef catalog show at 5 and I rushed home at 6:30 in time to get Pixie ready for her first extended amount of time without mommy or daddy with her. I've left her with Sam before for like 20 min, but that's all.
We dropped Pixie of at her Aunt Becca's house and went to Olive Garden for dinner. There was no wait (amazing!) and we had a great and yummy time!
Since we got in so fast, we called to see how Pixie was and then took a drive. It was so nice to talk about our two years together and what the next year will bring...possibly a new house, but we'll see.

Now let's take a trip down memory lane!

June 2nd, 2005
Nauvoo Illinois Temple

Reception that night.
Kidder Park, Kidder MO.

Our first dance. I love that dress! It was so beautiful. I haven't looked at it again since that day. It would make me sad that I'll never be a bride again! Plus, I for sure wouldn't fit in it now!

Our cake! My flowers were so pretty.

Off to start our life together!

So many things have happened in these two years that make it feel like forever! After our honeymoon in Florida, we had an awesome relaxing summer, got a dog, bought our house, made a few trips to Nauvoo, quit my job, we flew down to TX to buy a car. In the last year we went on a 9 day vacation with Sam and Danny to Florida/Bahamas, became pregnant, was terribly sick, Scott started his own business, I became a Pampered Chef consultant, we bought the lake house with Stephen and Micah to fix up for a vacation spot, Scott bought-fixed-and sold a house with Stephen, had a baby, Scott did the contracting on another house, Scott and Stephen bought a little restaurant near our lake house and leased it out. All this while Scott was going to school full time and still working his same job 3 overnights a week!!!!!!
I asked him if we could slow down this next year, but I don't know if that will happen!

My First Mother's Day

My first Mother's Day was pretty neat!
I woke up and hopped in the shower to get ready for church. Scott came home with flowers and dark chocolates for me. mmmm..I love the new Snickers Dark!

I decided to make myself a cake, after church. So we went to church where I got lots of Mother's Day wishes and a flowering plant. It was my first time staying with Pixie for the whole 3 hour block! I didn't have to spend too much time in the mother's lounge, but she was pretty done by the time Relief Society rolled around. Aren't we all? :) Actually, I enjoy it now!

We got home and as I walked in the door the phone was ringing. It was Scott's Dad with more Mother's Day wishes! I checked the messages after his call and I got one from Scott's Grandma Maridee and our friend, Danny! Then after that Sam called too. I felt SO special! ;)
I made us a really good chinese meal. I recently bought Scott a Presto Cool Daddy deep fryer and I threw some egg rolls in there, along with some curry cream cheese wontons I made. Yummy! All made possible by Scott holding Pixie for me. Then I went to work on making my cake while Scott napped. However, since his family was all in town, they were getting together at 4pm and he went over there while I was finishing my cake. At 4:45 I got a call from Scott saying that everyone was leaving at 5:30 and some of them hadn't seen Pixie yet. So, I covered my un-iced cake to rush over there when I heard "something" and "felt" something on my hand. After a diaper change and trying to get the stain out of Pixie's new dress I bought her the day before, I loaded her up and made it over there with 20 min. to spare!
After visiting, I decided to pick something up at my sister's house and she invited us to stay for a lasagna dinner. I couldn't pass that up!
By the time we got home I was so tired and we went to bed.
My cake didn't get made until Monday morning. However, it was so darn tasty that I didn't mind too much.

White cake with raspberry filling and butter cream frosting. This was my wedding cake too! Oh Yum!

My Super Nova

6 months old.

So, I have a wonderful and crazy dog, Nova.

She is a two year old, 20 lbs, rat terrier/husky mix.
We have had Nova since she was 4 months old when we started shopping
around at shelters for a dog and she was the perfect fit..a big and small dog all
wrapped into one!

Helping us paint the house.

Nova has been my "baby" and companion for all this time. She snuggled with me under the blankets when Scott was working on cold winter nights. She even sat next to me all the times I threw up with morning sickness. She would sit and wait, then sometimes come up and lick my arm once, then go back to sitting with me.
I did my best to prepare her for her impending doom. Dun dun dun.......the BABY.

In trouble.

Look at that tongue!

To my surprise, she has been WONDERFUL with Pixie. The other day I was taking a
shower with the coveted 10 min. of goodness while Pixie was in her rocker chair.
I must have taken 11 minutes to shower because she was screaming when I got out.
Nova was lying near her and I got out and made an impression of Pixie for her.
"Baby Pixie just goes waaaaaaahhh all the time!"
Nova looked at me, then at Pixie, then back at me and she seemed to say
"yeah, you're telling me!"

Sleeping in "her" recliner. She also stands on the arm and puts her paws on the window sill to keep watch out the window all day.

A close up of her tongue sticking out while she was sleeping in the last picture.

We have accomplished a lot of training with Nova. She still gets really excited when people come over, but I would hate to see what she would be like without any training at all!

Our successful tricks have been:
House breaking!
Going to the bathroom on command and in under two minutes.
The usual sit, stay, down, and off.
Sit up, high five, fetch.
Teaching a non-howling dog to howl.
To only get on non-approved furniture when invited...unless new people are here..arg.
Teaching her "English".
"Paws Off", if she's standing on something.
To go in her cage on demand. "Go to sleep" or "Go to bed", if she's in trouble.
Saying "what did you do?" and finding out if she really did anything by her reaction.
To ring a bell to go outside. That didn't last long..it was being rung constantly.
Taking a bath without any struggle to get her in there.
To play "which hand?" (explained in the video)



So what else do you do to ensure the safety and the safe return of your beloved pet,
if it gets lost? We did the usual city license tag, a micro-chip, the vet number with her i.d.
BUT what if someone finds her and doesn't want to give her back? We don't have the money to go to the expense of a GPS tracker for her...so we got a medical alert tag and put our phone number on the back. That way people will think she has some awful medical condition and won't want to keep her!