Goodbye 2011

Tonight we bid farewell to 2011 and welcome 2012! This past year has been quite eventful for us! At the start of the year Nick was looking for work and we were worried that something wouldn't fall into place and that we would be without an income. After much looking and interviewing, he finally was offered a position with Oriental Trading Company and started his new job March 16th. In July Emma and I went to south Missouri with Mom, Dad and Ethan for vacation in Branson and Eureka Springs, Arkansas. On August 6th our baby girl turned a year old, and we had her party at our house!

In August I decided that I really needed to spend some time outside of the home and doing some adult activities, so I interviewed with Oriental Trading and was hired as a Customer Service Agent and trained to take orders and do other menial tasks. I started my job on August 29th. In September I turned 26, and in October Nick turned 31. I also began RCIA classes to convert to Catholocism. Emma was a Giraffe for Halloween, and we took her to the Amazing Pizza Maching where she got some candy and rode some rides :) We spend Thanksgiving with the Spotanski's in Grand Island, where Nick and I got a 40" Emerson TV on Black Friday!

December came and the 17th was my last day at my job with Oriental, as it was a seasonal position. We knew that there was the possibility of being called back for full time permanent employment, but both Nick and I were unsure if that was a path I wished to pursue. A few days after my last day of the job, they called back to offer me permanent employment, and I graciously declined so that I can stay home and spend more time with Emma, which we hope will result in her being happier! December 17th we also had our Christmas with the Spotanski's, and the following Wednesday I went back to Missouri so I could spend a little extra time with my family because i hadn't gotten to spend much time with them since I started working. Emma had a wonderful Christmas, as did the rest of us! I purchased a Sony Vaio laptop with my Christmas money (which I am still waiting on to arrive), and Nick bought a pistol with his :)

Now tonight, on New Year's Eve, Dad is here with us! We went to the zoo this afternoon, ordered a pizza for supper, and are now watching a movie called "Wrecked." 2011 was a pretty good year, all in all, and I have resolved not to make a resolution, but rather just to try and be a better wife and Mom in the year to come. Happy 2012 everyone!!!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Well Christmas is right around the corner and I can hardly wait! For the past week or two we have been decorating the house, and this year we have a new, white tree that we decorated with bright colored garland, lights, and ornaments! Emma really seems to like it, especially pulling all of the ornaments she can reach off of the tree :P I have gotten most of our shopping done, and really only need to do Dad's, Nick's, and Greg and Wendy's! On the 17th we are headed back to Grand Island for our Christmas with Nick's folks, which will be fun! Emma really likes playing with Jayden and Jordyn, and they keep her busy and entertained, so it works out good for all of us :)

Then, two weeks from today I'm heading back to Missouri to spend some extra time with everyone before Christmas since I haven't gotten to see them much since I started working. I think one day Ethan and I are going to go down to the city so I can see his new place and so we can go to a new store called H & M. It's a clothing store that is really good priced with really cool things, and I think the closest one other than the new one in KC is Chicago! Anyhow, I'm really looking forward to that, and I think everyone down there is too :) The 17th is supposed to be my last day of work, and I'm not sure if I will go back if called back at the beginning of the year. I kind of want to so that I don't feel stuck at home with Emma all day, but I know that she doesn't take both naps at daycare, which makes for a super grouchy kid in the evening, and one of the things we really don't want to listen to after a long day at work. All in all, I think both has their pros and cons, but I am leaning towards staying here with her. I think Nick and I are going to decide on that tonight because I have to talk to Emma's babysitter soon about what we are going to do.

Also, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving with the Spotanski's! I will let the Thanksgiving and decoration pictures tell the rest :)

Fall Is Here!!!!!!

Ever since Emma has come home from my folk's house she's been having a rough time.....teething is to blame, I think. However, even though we have had some absolutely crappy evenings, can I tell you how much I love my baby girl, especially when she's not screaming bloody murder or biting my arm! Yes that's right....Emma bit me the other day for the first time. She was super pissed about something (not sure what because she's got a short fuse lately), and I was hugging her and trying to calm her down, when I feel this little pinch on my arm, and the little shit was biting me! Needless to say she learned real quick that "WE DO NOT BITE" and I learned to stay out of her way when she's pissed like she was.

Anyhow, yesterday I got off of work early so we decided to go to Vala's Pumpkin Patch. Just as we were heading out the door, it began to sprinkle, and continued to do so for the duration of our pumpkin patch trip. However, we still had a great time and I have included some pics at the end of this post of our trip there! Then today Nick and I took Emma to Bass Pro for a Halloween picture at their Charlie Brown pumpkin patch, and the photo turned out great! Will try and put one up here after I get it scanned into my computer. Next weekend will be a nice one also, as Mike and Mollie are coming down either Friday or Saturday to spend a few days, and Nick's 31st bday is Sunday :) Then Monday is Halloween, so I'm sure we'll be taking Emma somewhere this weekend for trick or treating in her Giraffe costume!

If you can't tell, Fall is my favorite time of year because we get to spend so much time with family and such! Nick's birthday is like the Kickoff to all sorts of greatness ahead :)

The Great Outdoors

Nick and I got back from Grand Island around 2:30 this afternoon, after a weekend full of hunting and spending time with the family. Unfortunately, we didn't see any deer, so I didn't get a chance to get my first one. However, just getting to spend the time with Nick out in nature was worth walking miles, blisters on my feet, an aching back, and frostbitten (not really!) body parts! We still may get the chance to go bowhunting again before the year's up, so I'm crossing my fingers that this year will be my lucky one!

On a side note, I'm getting ready to head down to Missouri and get Emma tomorrow, and boy I can't wait!!!! We sure have missed her, and already have plans to take her to Vala's Pumpkin Patch next weekend, which I'm sure she'll love just as much as we do :)

The Mighty Deerhunters

For this past week Emma has been staying with my folks in Missouri so that Nick and I can attempt to go deerhunting. After driving around a ton and looking at several "potential" spots to hunt, we determined that Eastern Nebraska has next to nothing to offer in the way of deerhunting spots. Therefore, tomorrow after work we're heading back to Grand Island to hunt a place around there. Tonight we went out and shot our bows one last time, and have gathered almost everything up. We were originally planning on hunting from treestands, but after talking, determined that hunting in a ground blind might be our best option this time.

So needless to say, I can't wait to get out there in the woods, and hopefully, get my first deer!!!! There's no telling if we'll even see anything, but if we do, and it comes within 20 yards of the blind, he's MINE :) Will update you on our (hopefull) success Sunday when we get home! Fingers crossed!

Perspective

Well, Emma is down in Missouri right now having fun with Gma and Gpa Osborn :) She'll be staying with this this next week and I'll go get her next Monday. Mom's been wanting to watch her for a while and Nick and I have been wanting to go bowhunting, so we decided to kill 2 birds with 1 stone and let them watch her so we can go bowhunting :) However, I reallllllly miss her right now and wish I could love on her. There are a few blogs I read that are written by mothers who have lost their babies, and it really just puts everything into perspective for me. It's not that I don't think the world of Emma, because she's my life, but I think sometimes we all just need a reminder of how precious life is and how quickly it can be taken away. Even though she can be clingy and whiny sometimes, I wouldn't change our lives for the world, because she is our world. Man I miss this girl!

Happier Time are Coming

Lately I know I've been a little grouchier and and easier to get mad, and I hate show snappy I've been toward Nick. I am going to try and be happier and more upbeat and not so touchy because I think my mood affects Nick just as his does mine. Anyhow, I had been feeling sick for the past few days but am feeling better now, however, Emma's been running a fever since yesterday and I think she's getting an ear infection, so she's got a doctor's appt tomorrow at 5:45. Hopefully she'll get some medicine so she can get to feeling better. Friday after work I'm meeting Mom and Dad in Rock Port because Emma's going to stay with them for a week so Nick and I can have a chance to go bowhunting on the weekends. I'm hoping we both have great weather and that I get a deer (unlikely!). I will leave you with a picture of my girl enjoying some of her favorite food....spaghetti!!!!!!

Looking Back and Looking Ahead

Looking Back

Yesterday Nick, Emma, and I met Mom, Dad, Gma, and Gpa in Rock Port to celebrate my birthday early as we always have. We usually get together at Gma and Gpa's for a weenie roast and a big family get together, but this year with me working we just had to compromise. We met at the truck stop in Rock Port for lunch, then we went to the park for cupcakes and gifts :) It was great getting to see everyone and spend some time together, but boy does the detour we have to take, suck!!!! I don't think I've mentioned it in any posts, but this past summer there was some major flooding from the Missouri River from north of Council Bluffs all the way down I-29 to Rock Port. Therefore, even though the flood waters are receeding, they have left the interstate between Glenwood and Rock Port damaged and undrivable, and so we have to take this crappy detour where the roads are super hilly and wind around a ton which means that if you get stuck behind some people who are piddling along (which we always do!), then you're stuck behind them for over an hour, or longer, depending on how slowly they are driving!

Looking Ahead
Anyhow, we had a great time with everyone and now that we're back home, I have been decorating for Halloween and Fall in general :) I am so excited for the holidays this year because Emma's older and I just think that they are going to be a lot of fun, except, perhaps for having to watch Emma super close so that she doesn't destroy our Christmas tree :P I am planning on putting in to have Black Friday and that Saturday off here in a few weeks, and so my fingers are crossed for those days off to be approved!

God Bless the U.S.A.

Ten years ago today I remember walking into my sophmore History class only to see the television on, and a building with a smoking, gaping wound on it's side. I think maybe I was too young to understand the magnitude of what was happening, but now it really hits me hard seeing mothers and relatives draped over their loved one's name on one memorial or another. September 11, 2001 is a date that Emma will be learning about from a History book. The book will give the facts about what happened, and how many people were killed, but it will not be able to recount how people were jumping to their death from windows, from fear of being crushed should the towers fall. It also, will not tell the stories about those who are alive today because they had a busy morning and were running late for work, or because their child was sick and they had to stay at home with them.

I think perhaps the noblest thing from this day was the courage that United Flight 93 showed, as they forced their plane to crash into a field in Pennsylvania rather than crashing into the White House. They knew that they were going to die either by the hands of a terrorist, or that they could sacrifice themselves and save some people who would be able to fight Al Quaeda (as we found out later was behind the attacks.) Nick and I were talking, wondering if we would be able to do the same thing given their situation, and sadly, I am not sure I could. I know that for everyone there is a time to die (as stated in the Bible), but to cause your own death is something I have a hard time grasping, and therefore, I see these people, along with the firefighters, as the true heroes of the day.

"God bless America. Land that I love! Stand beside her, and guide her, through the night with a light from above." Lord please guide our country through these troubled waters in which we sail, and bring us to a safe harbor soon. Keep those who lost their lives ten years ago today in your hands, and be with the innocent Muslim population who has received a bad rap from a few bad apples among them. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

No More Training

Tomorrow is my first day that I won't be in training at OTC, and will be completely on the phones all day excepting my breaks and lunch. I know that it really isn't going to be any different than Friday was because I was on the phones most of the day then...but I'm still just a little nervous and hope I do good and have a good day! Fingers crossed!

My Life in the Blogging World

I can't believe that I have reached over 100 posts now! I started this blog back in 2008 and am going to do a quick recap of each, in case anyone's interested :)

1. Very first blog post ever. Thoughts on blogging and the Obama/McCain election.
2. Thoughts on Obama's winning the election.
3. Talked about wedding dress alterations, engagement pictures, and decorating Nick's for Xmas!
4. Excitement about going to see the Transiberian Orchestra with Ethan.
5. Black Friday with Ethan....it's was crazy hectic, but we got all we wanted!
6. Reflecting on my last day working at Grand Paws Kennel :(
7. Results from Special Ed Praxis II, I passed! Thoughts on what I am going to do after graduation.
8. Mine and Nick's Christmas together. Looked for a found a new car!
9. Christmas 2008 with my family. Fell down stairs on Christmas Eve and broke my big toe.
10. Got my new Toyota Camry. Toe condition worse.
11. New car photo. Questionair on 2008
12. Thoughts about getting ready to start my student teaching.
13. Taking the 2nd Praxis II test for Special Ed. Going with Martha to David's Bridal to look for a maid of honor dress for my wedding.
14. Tried on my wedding dress.
15. Thoughts on starting Student teaching.
16. Nothing of importance to note.
17. While at Omaha, Nick got sick.
18. Exhausted from Senior Seminar class.
19. Relaxing before starting student teaching.
20. All about me post ;)
21. Getting wedding plans taken care of such as flowers and meeting the pastor who would marry us.
22. First day in high school classroom I was to student teach in.
23. Super tired from student teaching.
24. Excited because I passed my 2nd special ed Praxis test.
25. First day actually teaching
26. Finishing first week of student teaching, and potential job opportunities.
27. Nothing important :P
28. Contacted by Papillion/La Vista School district to come in for an interview for a Special Ed position.
29. Looking forward to Spring Break, did not get Papillion/La Vista job I interviewed for with it turning out to be pretty much a waste of time, went to Kati's bridal shower.
30. Entirely exhausted from student teaching and wedding planning. I think I was beginning to get a feeling that teaching would not be my ultimate career, but I didn't voice those thoughts.
31. Stressed from student teaching. Yes, I do realize a lot of my posts are about this, but that was a big think in my life for about 6 months at the beginning of 2009 :P
32. Giving my first test during ST, stress, and finding a hairdresser for my wedding (I ultimately ended up doing my own hair).
33. Rambling
34. Great week student teaching, and looking forward to spending spring break in Omaha,
35. Had a great spring break, preparing to start my last 2 weeks student teaching, and enjoying some spring weather.
36. Thoughts on family, my bridal shower, and tornado warning!
37. Annual Liberty garage sales, reflecting on my college career and upcoming graduation, and thinking about how it will be different not living at home.
38. Picture of the new puppy Nick and I would be getting shortly after our honeymoon. Siberian Husky we named Akiba.
39. Got to see Akiba for the first time.
40. Thoughts on our wedding that was 2 weeks away!
41. Wedding, honeymoon, and life as a married woman updates, along with pictures!
42. Talking about how Akiba was growing. Got a new job with the Petshotel in Petsmart.
43. Found out Martha was getting married, and she is pregnant, due the following February (it was September in this post).
44. Nick and I began talking about maybe wanting to start a family in the next several months.
45. Found out we were expecting a baby!
46. Thoughts about the Christmas Season.
47. A reflection on 2009. We got rid of the dog.
48. Went to first OB appt and got to see baby on first ultrasound and hear the heartbeat :) Looking for a new job, as I quit the one at Petsmart in November because they required you to work holidays.
49. Got a new job at Kmart. Money woes.
50. Growing belly. Getting ready for our Washington D.C. trip!
51. Found out we were going to have a baby girl! Thinking about name ideas.
52. Talking about our Washington D.C. trip.
53. Nursery pictures.
54. Phone interview for Nick.
55. Asking for prayers for Nick's job situation. Having to go to the hospital for a Gestational Diabetes test.
56. No gestational diabetes
57. Nick headed to an interview for a job he really wanted.
58. Waiting on a call from the company Nick interviewed with.
59. Nick had a second phone interview with the company he really wanted to work for.
60. Anniversary plans. 4th interview at Bosselman for Nick.
61. More interview thoughts.
62. Interview doubts.
63. Nick's very depressed about his job situation and life in general. Feeling like we are in dire straights.
64. Nick didn't get the job :(
65. The reality that we would soon be parents (in about 2.5 weeks) really began to hit us. Getting ready to head back to Grand Island.
66. Body beginning to prepare for Emma's arrival (effacement and dilation).
67. Nick's feeling left out of the pregnancy.
68. Pregnancy update.
69. More pregnancy updates. I think I'm getting close to becoming a mom!
70. I had Emma :)
71. My pre-labor and labor story, giving birth, the first 5 weeks at home with her. She was staying at Mom and Dad's for a week because she'd been going through an incredibly rough patch.
72. Some pics of Emma :)
73. Emma's 8 month update! Preparing for 2 month shots.
74. Update on Emma in photos.
75. Emma's doing better. On Neocate formula.
76. Pictures of Emma and how she's grown.
77. Emma turned 6 months old. Nick learned that his name was on the list of people to be let go from Infogroup the following March, which was about 1 month away.
78. Reflecting on the death of a baby from SIDS. Feeling bad about getting frustrated with Emma.
79. Frustrations about not getting help with Emma and the house while I'm sick.
80-84. Got a new fishtank and had some fish I wanted identified by cichlids.com members.
85. Nick got hired by Oriental Trading Company. Photos of Emma.
86. Thoughts on the writing process and my need to keep a hold of my creativity.
87. Preparing for Easter. Frustration that Nick doesn't seem to appreciate what I was doing. Getting ready to head to Missouri for annual Liberty garage sales.
88. Easter update and pictures!
89. Pictures of Emma at the park.
90. Pictures of vacation with mom, dad, and ethan in Branson and Eureka Springs. An update on the past several months.
91. Getting ready for Emma's first birthday!
92. Photos and an update of Emma's bday party :) Reflecting on all I have to be thankful for.
93. Talking about my weight and wanting to lose some of it.
94. BBQ wknd in Maysville.
95. Getting ready to start my first day at my new job with Oriental Trading Company.
96. Frustration. Nick's getting sick...I'm doing everything at home, plus working.
97. Date night with Nick.

Okay, so I seemed to have missed a few posts, but that's about the nudge and gist of what's been going on these past 2.5 years :)

Date Night!!!!

Okay, so tonight Nick and I are having a date night, minus Emma, so I won't stay long! Just wanted to say that work went great today and I got several compliments, which felt awesome! Emma is at the babysitter's, who offers one date night a month so mommy and daddy can have some time together, which I think is awesome!!!! Anyhow, I'd better get off of here and back to my man :)

Changes This Way Come

Well tomorrow is my first day at work at Oriental Trading Company, and consequently Emma's first day at Daycare! We decided, after much debate, to go with an in-home daycare which is run by a woman that lives just a few miles from our house. At first, I was deadset against an in-home daycare, but after doing some research and price comparisons, decided that just because you paid more to take your child to a daycare center doesn't mean it's any better than a licensed in-home daycare.

I am really excited to start to working and think it's going to be a good place for me! I also think that, after she gets over any shyness and anxiety, that Emma's going to enjoy daycare and getting to play with 4-5 other kids :) Please say a prayer for all of us! Nick gets to be the bad guy and drop Emma off to daycare tomorrow, and I'm the savior and get to pick her up, at least for this first week! After training this week, my schedule will be 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday, so then I will be taking her to daycare and Nick will pick her up. Anyhow, I will update my blog tomorrow night on our first days! Fingers crossed :)

Weekend in Maysville

We just got home this afternoon from Maysville where we had a bbq birthday thing for Emma at Gma and Gpa's house. Lonna, Zack and the kids, and Greg and Wendy and Lauren all came and it was great getting to see them! The only downside was having to come back home. I SOOOOOOOOOOO enjoyed getting to have a get together with everyone, and it just reminded me how lonesome and sad I can get here in Omaha. Nick goes to work at 7:45 a.m. and doesn't get home usually until 6:30 if not a little later, and it just gets to me, spending almost every day by myself (not counting Emma). Here I hear about everyone down there getting together and having supper, and yet here I sit all alone and wishing sooo badly that we lived closer so I didn't feel left out of everything.

Now don't get me wrong, I love my family more than anything, I just don't love living here in Omaha, so far away for everyone :( I hope that a few years from now (if not sooner!) we are able to sell our house so we can move closer to family.

"Weighty" Issues

If you're close to me then you know that I've had some issues with my weight for about the past year now. After giving birth to Emma I got back within 3 pounds of my previous pre-baby weight of 130 within a month. However, due to postpartum depression I had to start taking Zoloft, and the zoloft mixed with less activity caused my weight to creep back up to 151.4 pounds (at the heaviest) these past few months. It's always been hard for me to lose weight and after looking through some photos and just feeling bad about myself, I decided it was time to really DO something about it.

Enter the HCG diet. I won't go into details of it, but it's a diet where you take drops under the tongue three times per day about 15 minutes before meals, and then you proceed to follow a strict diet and calorie limit of 500 calories per day. Well, I bought the drops and began the program and am on day 8 now. I am down 5.4 pounds and am happy about that, however, I don't notice any change in how my clothes are fitting yet. Also, this diet has been really tough for me because being such a picky eater, I don't like many of the things that are approved for it. For the first few days I lost about 1.5 pounds per day, and now my weight loss has slowed down to about .5 pound per day. I know that compared to other diets these results are great in such a short amount of time, but I'm having such a hard time sticking to it really strictly. However, if I can deviate from the diet a bit and feel a little more satisfied, and my weight loss slow to .5 pounds per day, it's a sacrifice I would be happy to make. I think in the long run it would be harder to keep the weight off if I were to stick to the diet really strictly, because I would think the carbs and starches would be a shocker for my metabolism.....at least, that's my reasoning :P

Anyhow, my goal is to get down to 130-133 by my birthday which is about a month and a half away, and a very achievable goal if I can set my mind to it. I read a quote today that I will have to remember when temptation is about to overcome me: "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels!" Amen!!!

Thankful

These are some of the moments I am so thankful for!

Emma and Gpa Harold with her early bday gift!

Emma playing with one of the Bday gifts Mommy and Daddy got her


Enjoying cake, and wanting to share the love with Mommy!

Dancing with Daddy

The three of us on Emma's first birthday!!!

Our baby girl is officially 1 year old as of 12:05 a.m. on Saturday morning! It seems like it was just yesterday when we were leaving the hospital with her, scared out of our minds about how we were responsible for this 6 lb. life! Well, we have survived the first 12 months and I can't imagine life without her! Her first birthday party went really well! We had lots of company, and she got lots of nice clothes, and even a 4 wheeler and a "house" from Mommy and Daddy!

Even though it has been a challening year, I can't help but think about all I have to be thankful for! Emma's in great health and has overcome stomach and sleep problems :) Nick got a new job with a better and more stable company. I got to spend the whole first year at home with Emma watching her grow and change every day! I got hired by Nick's company for a seasonal position that I will be starting in a few weeks. And the list goes on! For the past several months I have been reading this blog called Another Day Stronger and it has really given me a new outlook on life and a new appreciate for it, and every day we have with our baby girl, even some of the worst and hardest days! The blog is written by a mommy of an angel named Maddie who passed away from SIDS when she was about 4 months old :( It sure makes me cry a lot, but makes me realize how precious life is, and to enjoy every moment together! Maddie's mommy is so strong, and I can't even begin to IMAGINE life without my beautiful baby girl.....or should I call her a toddler, as she's walking everywhere now!?

Remember, tomorrow is promised to no one, so pack a lifetime of love into today!

It's Coming!!!!!!!!!!

In less than a week Emma will be One!!!!! Nick and I are in the process of getting our house all cleaned up and ready for the influx of company we're expecting Saturday. I know i haven't mentioned much about her birthday so I thought I would fill you in on a bit! Her theme is Butterflies and lots of color! I am making the cake for her to eat from a butterfly shaped silicone mold and we're getting one for everyone else to eat from HyVee. Mom and Dad are coming down Friday morning and are going to mess around with Emma, giving me the chance to make her cake, a chocolate penut butter cup dessert, and to get the last minutes things done here at home!

On party day (saturday) we are going to order some Casey's pizza for lunch, then everyone is supposed to start arriving around 2 or so. I have decided that we are going to do her cake very last because she doesn't like having her outfit changed and being cleaned up, so that way she won't be upset when we're trying to get her to open gifts :P Then Sunday is Dad's birthday, and his plans are for all of us to go to the zoo for the day. Monday when Mom and Dad leave Emma is going with them for a week, so that Nick and I can have some time together :) Anyhow, that's what's going on this coming week! I will post pictures after her party :)

Reminiscing on the Past Year

It's hard to believe that it is the end of July already! This summer is flying by, and two weeks from today Emma Rae will be turning one year old!!!! It has been one of the hardest, longest, most stressful, yet most rewarding years of my life :) Let's have a quick recap:

August 2010:

We were preparing for Emma's arrival and just imaging how our lives were about to change. Little did we know that there was now way for us to guess just how drastic a change it would be! On August 5th I went into labor abou 1 p.m. when the Directv employees were at our house setting us up with our new service. I didn't know that contractions had begun and only knew that somethng was happening (had begun to lean amniotic fluid). Around 3 Nick and I headed to the hospital where they checked me out and determined that I was in labor! At 12:05 a.m. on August 6th, Emma Rae Spotanksi was born! Mom stayed with us for 2 1/2 weeks, which was a Godsend as neither of us knew what they heck we were doing with this 6 pound screaming demon :)

September 2010:

Emma was going through a really hard time, as were Nick and I being so severely sleep deprived. We were switching formulas like crazy trying to find one that would set well with Emma as she was clearly having some stomach problems. We settled of Pregestimil (for a while) because that's what Nick had to be on when he was little. My 26th birthday was a disaster as we went for supper at Chili's and we hadn't been there 10 minutes and Emma began to bawl, and so we pretty much got to-go boxes as soon as our food arrived :P

October 2010:

I went to the dr. for post partum depression around the middle of the month. The "baby blues" hadn't subsided and I was needing to get the horomones back in check. The meds began to work quickly and I was soon back to my old self. Nick turned 30, and his parents came up to celebrate. We dressed Emma up as a pumpkin for Halloween :)

November 2010:

By now we had found that Emma had a problem with milk and soy proteins, and she was on one of the most expensive formulas, Neocate, which is $40 per can! For Thanksgiving we went to Nick's grandma Rosie's.

December 2010:

We were preparing for our first Christmas as a little family. The weekend before Christmas we went back to Grand Island to celebrate with Nick's family. Then we went back to Missouri to celebrate Christmas Eve and Day with my family. Emma wasn't sure about opening gifts and Mommy and Daddy ended up helping her :) Santa Claus was good to her!

January 2011:

Our new year started off uneventfully and was beginning to feel better horomone-wise, however, I was noticing (ok I had been noticing it for a while) that my weight was climbing. I talked to my OB/GYN and she changed me over to Prozac saying that the chance of weight gain was less on it than Zoloft.

February 2011:

Feeling better, I decided to stop taking the Prozac, and had no ill side-effects when coming off of it like I did when I tried to wean myself off of Zoloft. However, my weight finally stopped at 150...just five pounds shy of where I was when I was nine months pregnant :( This really bothered (and still bothers) me. Emma was beginning to do this army-crawl thing (Dad says she's doing the Marine Low Crawl :) ) where she would drag herself with her arms and use only her left leg to kind of push herself along!

March, April, and May 2011:

A few pretty uneventful months. Emma had a few ear infections (so NOT FUN), we went back to Missouri to celebrate Ethan and Mom's birthdays, and Mike and Mollie came back for a visit. Emma began to actually "crawl", and "cruise"! We bought a pop-up camper and took it camping on Memorial Day weekend at Wallace State Park in Cameron, Mo.

June 2011:

Emma really started crawling a lot more and Mollie came by after a conference one evening and stayed the weekend! We all went garage saling and I ended up getting her a Fisher Price Laugh and Learn House toy for her upcoming birthday, which is now sitting in her room, covered up by a big blanket so she doesn't know it is there, and so that she will see it as a new toy on her birthday!

July 2011:

We spent the 4th of July weekend in Grand Island. Emma stayed the weekend with Grandma Mollie and Papa Mike, and was glued to Mike's hip :) While she was there, Nick and I went camping with Ryan, Sandra, Jordyn, and Adam at Sherman's Reservoir around Loup City, Ne. We then celebrated the 4th on the 3rd at Ryan and Sandra's (Picture 1 below) and Emma enjoyed some fireworks before getting too tired and going to bed at 8 p.m. :) Towards to the middle of July Emma and I went on vacation to Branson and Eureka Springs (pictures 2-5 below) and had a great time. Ethan and I did a Zipline and Suspension Bridge thing which was awesome! We also spent a day at Eureka Springs, Arkansas, sightseeing and going to the Passion Play, as well as spending a day at Stockton Lake, which Emma loved! The day we returned to Omaha, Emma took her first step. I interviewed at Oriental Trading Company and was offered a job. Present Day: We are in the process of trying to find a good daycare for Emma before I start working on August 29th. We are also in the process of preparing for Emma's first birthday. I am preparig to start the HCG diet and want reallllllllllllyyyyyyyyy badly to lose some weight before my 26th birthday.

So, that's about all that's been going on this past year :)

Spring/Summer Fun

Here are a few more recent pics of Emma enjoying the Spring/Summer weather! We had a nice time in Missouri, and later today Mom and Dad will be up here at our house for 3 days or so, which will be great! We're going to go to the zoo tomorow and then Saturday we're setting up our camper then going mini golfing that evening! Other than that, nothing new really happening!

Easter Fun

Here are some photos from our Easter back in Grand Island at Mike and Mollie's! Emma had a wonderful first Easter and did great at her first Mass on Easter Sunday :) I don't have much to say tonight, so I will let the photos do the talking. Enjoy!

Emma with the first piece of candy she found on her first Easter egg hunt :)

Having fun with the basket wrapping!

Looks like the Easter Bunny was good to Emma!

Emma and Daddy before church ;)

Our first Easter photo as a family!

Me and my precious girl!

Emma and her cousin, Kamryn, who is 4 days younger than her!

Emma and Kamryn having fun playing with the plastic easter eggs!

A Little Bit of This and That

Just a quick update as I'm tired and have to feed Emma in about 30 minutes.

This Weekend:
I can't believe that Sunday is Easter! This year really has flown by, especially since Christmas! We are leaving for Grand Island on Saturday and are spending the holiday weekend with Nick's family, which will be nice as we haven't seen most of the since the week before Christmas. Emma has the cutest Easter dress that Mollie got her (navy eyelet with a white cover), and so I think Nick and I are going to dress in Navy/Blue and white so we can get some nice, rare, family photos :) The "Easter Bunny" has her basket all ready to be opened on Sunday morning! I will take plenty of pics and have Nick take some of me and Emma together because we don't have many of the two of us.

Us:
"Us" referring to me and Nick. We are doing fine lately, although my patience seems to be lessened as he's feeling sick, yet AGAIN, and so I'm majorly feeling like a single mom. On top of taking care of Emma 24/7, I'm taking care of the house, and I get the feeling that he thinks I don't do much during the day. I love him, but I guess he will see how much I do when I'm in Missouri for a week in May :P Bet anything I come home to a hamper full of laundry to do, and nothing in the icebox! But like I said, I do love him....just wish he would tell me he appreciates what I do, and even offer to do some stuff himself. Wishful thinking....

Garage Saling:
Two weeks from Sunday Emm and I are heading to Maysville for a little over a week so that I can go to the shooting range with Dad and shoot my little revolver, mark garage sale stuff, and go to the Liberty neighborhood garage sales!!!! Mom and I have been really looking forward to the Liberty sales for a while now, but I think I'm more looking forward to just spending some time with everyone! Mom and I are going to go down that Friday afternoon to hit the sales that start that day (and get the jump on good bargains!), and then we're spending the night in a hotel in Kearney so that we can be up and out early to the sales Saturday morning! There's not a whole lot I really "need", but am looking for winter clothes for Emma, as well as movies, books, etc. I'm excited, if you couldn't tell!!!!!!!!!!

So there's my quick update for tonight :) Will update with Easter pictures next time!

Putting Thoughts to Pen

I just came across a blog of a girl who I used to go to school with, and it basically talks about the writing process and what it is to be an author. Reading her posts got me thinking about how big a part of my life creative writing used to be. I say "used-to" because once I began college, creative writing took a backseat to research papers and technical writing. Ther were a few classes where I got to write creative pieces, but the longer I went without writing one, the harder it got when I had to. Being an English major meant writing numerous papers every semester on topics ranging from feminism (ugh!) to fantasy (!), however, I truly believe that these papers can be a death sentence to one's creativity. Sure they offered creative writing courses, but I have never been one to be "creative on demand", and so I didn't see this as a viable option. Now, being a mom, I don't have the free time like I used to, but I really want to start writing again. I'm not sure what about, but I want to get the creative juices flowing again! For Ethan's 21st birthday, I composed a poem which explained his birthday present that he would be receiving in a few weeks as it was not available at that time (newest Harry Potter movie), and boy did it feel good! I honestly think I had forgotten how much I enjoyed writing, and also, seeing others' reactions to it :) Therefore, I vow to try and write at least 3 times per week, as I don't want to detract from the family time I have with Nick and Emma, but I also feel it's an important part of myself that I need to hold on to.

Loving Life

Before writing my entry for this post, I thought I would start off with a few pictures that have been taken within the past month or so :) Enjoy!

Emma looks so innocent and old-fashioned!

Man, I love this girl!!!

Wearing a skirt that was mom's when she was about this age (7.5 months)

Emma's Easter dress that Mike and Mollie got her!

Bath time for my big girl!

Putting her 4 new teeth to work :)

Grandpa Harold's little Gummy Bear!

Emma's first St. Patty's day

Can you find the real baby doll here?

So pitiful!!!! She was tired and did NOT want to be put down :)

Well, as you can see, Emma's really grown like crazy! She's setting up on her own, has babbled "dada", and is growing up fast! Too fast, maybe :) She hasn't begun to get up on her hands and knees yet, but hopefully soon. She's been going through a fussy phase lately (I suspect Wonder Week 37) and is needing more attention, which makes getting housework done harder. Sleeping good has been hit and miss the past week or so. Hopefully it improves here soon!

Nick got a new job working with Oriental Trading Company as a Financial Analyst! He really likes it so far and is much happier, which, in turn, makes me happier :) I really wish something would've worked out closer to Maysville, but hey, money is money and a job here is better than no job at all! Other than all of that, there really hasn't been anything new happening. I'm still staying at home with Emma and am so glad I'm able to! Even though she can be a handful sometimes, I wouldn't want to miss a moment of her growing up!!!!

Hiatus...

It has been a while since a normal blog for me, as I've been busy lately, but tomorrow I plan on making a return to the blogging world :)

Sick :P

Ok, so I'm sick, Emma's sick, Nick's not, but he's still not helping me around the house. He literally comes home from work, we talk for a bit while having supper, then he gets on his computer to do who-knows-what until about 45 minutes before we head to bed, then he asks me what's wrong and if I'm mad at him. DUH. It would be nice for my husband to help me raise our daughter and to acknowledge all the sh!t I do during the day. Ugh. Just had to get that off my chest.

Heartbreaking

From the time when I was 7 months pregnant up until now, I have been a member of a few "expecting moms" message boards here online. Well, just over the past few weeks there have been a number of babies who have passed away. One little boy was diagnosed with Leukemia when he was 5 or 6 months old, and within a week of the diagnosis, he had passed away. Then there was a beautiful little girl who passed away just a few days ago, who was only 5 months old. The cause of her death is unknown and is being looked into. There, sadly, are other stories such as these, but it is these two little angels that my heart just breaks for. Everytime I read the blog that the little girl's parents are writing, I break down and cry. I just cannot imagine what they are going through, nor do I ever want to.

Sure, we have had some hard times with Emma's health issues, but boy do I feel like a jerk when I complain after reading Maddie's and Ben's stories :( I am a Christian and a firm believer that God has everything happen for a reason, but things like these seemingly senseless deaths really makes me wonder how such a compassionate God could do that to such innocent babies. I know we aren't meant to understand everything God does, but the deaths of innocents is completely incomprehensible to me. I am holding Emma a little tighter and longer now, being more patient, and just enjoying every little moment of hers, because if, God forbid, something should happen to her, I would want to have no regrets about how I spent my time with my sweetie pie.

Growing Like a Weed!!!

First off, here are a few more recent photos to sate your thirst :)

Emma's 6 month picture! Hard to believe how big she's getting!

Goofy girl!

Trying baby food for the first time (carrots!)

Dad and his Raiders fans!

Christmas Eve at Grandma and Grandpa's!

It seems like the length between my posts is getting longer and longer, not that there's anyone who actually reads them :) Emma just turned 6 months old about a week ago, and she has changed so much! She can now sit up unassisted for a few seconds at a time, and she's eating solids, which she loved! Thank goodness she's not picky, yet! About a week ago her first tooth finally came in! It's on of the bottom center ones, and I think the other one will be coming in soon! I would put a picture on here of her with her tooth, but any time she seems me coming at her mouth with my finger she clamps it shut!

There really is nothing new going on with us, other than Nick learned a few weeks ago that he's going to be losing his job in March which has us in a panic. He's applied at several places, even one in Saint Joe, and so we're keeping our fingers crossed that something (I prefer St. Joe!) works out for us. I am getting ready to interview with a video store in Omaha, so at least we might have a little money coming in if he gets laid off before getting another job. Prayers would be appreciated!