Book Reviews!!

So....I just signed up to review books for WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.  I selected my first book "God Gave Us So Much" written by Lisa T. Bergren and illustrated by Laura J. Bryant and cannot wait to get it in the mail.  I know Owen & Brynnleigh will love looking at the pictures and having us read it to them.  I will be stalking the mailbox waiting for this to come in!!

If you have a blog....you can sign up too at http://www.waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/sign-up

Don't worry....they have big people books too....I just thought I'd start off w/a childrens book to make it more of a family affair (That and I still need to finish reading the last book from the Twilight series!).

Happy Reading!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I know this is a tad late (but not as late as B's 1 mth post)...but we hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!!  We had a relaxing day with family.  Normally we go to King William to enjoy Thanksgiving lunch w/my family and then head back home to do Thanksgiving dinner w/Troy's family.  This year we just had lunch in KW...Troy's family had all had a stomach bug and we didn't want to expose the kids...totally upset about not spending the holiday w/them....and the good food!! : )  It was nice not to be rushed to run from one place to the next, and not too too overstuffed either.

My aunt and uncle had raked up some leaves for the kids to jump in....O was soo excited he wouldn't even let me change him into his old clothes!!  I'm pretty sure that he could be turned into a country boy.  He loves to be outside, and would have played in the leaves for three weeks straight if allowed.

This was Brynnleigh's first Thanksgiving....she enjoyed it with a bottle & a few naps (hey...some people really do that right?). 

Both kids enjoyed seeing their King William family and can't wait to see everyone again at Christmas.  We are very lucky to have 99% of our family within an hour away!!

Thanksgiving was followed by Black Friday shopping (yes...I was the idiot w/a 7 wk old who got up at 3am to go shopping....of course B slept until 7:30 that morning) and a trip to Granny's.  After I got home from shopping (yes I went by myself...I wouldn't drag my kids) we loaded them up and headed to South Boston for a nice relaxing afternoon.  It was great!! 

We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!!

Owen & His Cousins

Jogging Stroller...updated...again

So...before Brynnleigh arrived, I went back and forth on the need for a double jogger....did I really need one...if so...did I really need a top of the line super expensive one? Well, I had talked myself out of it....I mean...was I really really going to be that into running that I would need to bring the kids along....and do we really take that many trips that I would need a double stroller?? They could take turns riding...right??

Well after Troy was all excited that I had talked myself out of it....I talked myself back into it. It helped a bit that it was on sale...and well O kept telling me he wanted one (so then we totally needed it right?). I had tried to take the kids on a walk while on maternity leave, but it was a pain. O wanted to push the stroller, which he can't see over the handlebars...so I was a tad leary. I mean...can't you see the news stories now...Breaking news...idiot mother let's 3 year old boy push stroller w/3 wk old baby.....story at 11?

Soooo.....I expressed my need/want for this fancy dancy stroller...but said I didn't absolutely have to have it....and magically, about 2-3 wks later, it appeared on our front porch...two days before the marathon! Of course B is too young for us to use it for running...and really even for walking....but we let her test it out one afternoon in the driveway. O helped put it together, and took the first ride around the house. This stroller is by far the EASIEST stroller I've ever pushed....and it's a double!! It fits through every doorway downstairs (yes....O & I tested)...I can't wait to take it out and about. Seriously though...for being a double stroller...I can push, turn, rotate w/one hand...it even folds up easily and I can lift it by myself...and it fits in the trunk. I can't wait to take the kids on a run.....but we'll have to wait till it warms up a bit and B gets better head control.

And yes...I know who magically delivered it to my doorstep....and I'm very very thankful. I really really appreciate it...and honestly, you really didn't have to do so much...esp. right before Christmas!!

My Marathon Man!!

Yes folks...that's right...I married a marathon man!! Actually...he turned into one about 6 years after we got married. I had always said that I wanted to run a marathon...and well he beat me to it. Troy...you are awesome...not only have you run 1...you've run 3...and at least 1 more to go. I don't know how you do it, but I admire you motivation, consentration, and person drive to complete your goal. Maybe one day I too can be like you!! : )

The last marathon he ran, was this past November....Brynnleigh was only 6 wks old...that's crazy...he wasnt even getting full nights of sleep.

Even funnier...when you run slow...you can collect all the loose change!!

Here are some pics of my marathon man in all his running glory!!

Also, congrats to Miguel on his first marathon....maybe in a year or two...this will be the two Amy's!! (Or then again...we did have fun on the sidelines catching water bottles, discussing running attire/shopping, and the "other" things we saw & discussed).

Brynnleigh smiles!!

Baby B can smile!! Yippeee.! It's the best thing in the world when your child smiles at you. It melts my heart, and well they can pretty much get whatever they want!! Brynnleigh has been smiling for a bit, but mostly in her sleep, and well, it probably was just gas.

Just the other day she let one out...wide awake. So what does psycho mommy do?? She picks her up...and grabs the camera. Nothing like shoving a camera close up in your face to get you to smile right?? This pics aren't the best angle for Little Miss...but you do what you gotta do to get that big gummy grin!! Hopefully they won't do an eye test on her anytime soon, since I'm pretty sure I blinded her for bit w/all the flashes. At least if she decides to become famous she'll be used to the paparazi!!

So on 11/11/10 we caught baby girl's smile on camera. Can't wait for many more Brynn!! : )

Playdates!!

While I was home on maternity leave we were able to take advantage of playdates for both O & B! Owen had a playdate with his friend Holden, and a Halloween party playdate with Ramsey & Emerson. Brynnleigh had her first playdate with Chloe who is exactly (well as exact as you can be minus 1 day) 1 month older than her and then had a playdate with Camryn & Kaitlyn who are about 2 weeks younger. Both of my kids are blessed to have so many good friends close in age.

I'm going to miss playdates when I go back to work. I love to see how my kids interact with others, and chit chat w/the mommies and compare notes. Luckily my Mom volunteers to take the kids to the playdates, so at least they won't miss out.

Happy 1 Month Brynnleigh

Yes...I know...this is a tad late (like 3 weeks)...but better late than never right?? I would think about posting...but never had a chance when I had two hands to type!!

So Brynnleigh turned 1 month on 11/4/10 and of course I made her take pictures. She wasn't too into it, but I got a few good ones so I'm happy.

At a month old, she's basically sleeping through the night. She's such a good baby!! For the most part she gets up between 3am -5am and goes back to sleep after her feeding! Her last feeding at night is between 8-10 pm.

Right now I am still pumping, but I'm spreading it out so I'm only pumping about 3-4 times a day. She's getting 2 formula bottles and the rest is breast milk. During the day she goes between 3-4 hrs between feedings, normally only 3 hrs.

She still sleeps a lot during the day, but has more alert time each day. She's fussy in the evenings from 7pm-9pm, but I'll take it if she keeps these long sleep patterns.

Happy 1 Month Brynnleigh....we can't wait to see what new things you'll do during the next month...and maybe Mommy will post your 2 month birthday closer to the actual date!!

At a month Miss Brynnleigh weighs 8 lbs 3 oz