Jumping On The Bandwagon!

After last week, which was really long, I decided it was time to jump in and really find things to do. Now that Reagan has eliminated her morning nap and just takes one in the afternoon, we have more time to get out and do things. I have looked and looked for a MDO (Mother's Day out) around here and they just don't exist, I guess it's more of a southern thing. I tried a while back ago to put her in a day care for a few hours a day, just to have some play time, but here you pay a flat rate per day. Which was outrageous. And I have yet to find any activities that I could put her in until she turns 2. So we have just done things here and there to get out of the house and entertain ourselves.

A couple weeks ago I decided I really wanted to get into the gym. I guess it was right around the time you start making New Year's resolutions. Mine was to actually work out on a regular basis. We have a really nice gym here at our apartment but, without child care how am I going to work out? I've tried doing things at home, watching Julian Michaels workout video or doing yoga, but working out at home is impossible for me, I get too distracted. I also wanted to be able to work out with Darrin, but with him working 6 days a week and getting home around 7pm, there really isn't anytime for that. So we have just put it off.

Last week I found a coupon online for a free 7 day trial at 24 hour fitness. (I'm sure they always have those, but like I said, I haven't been inside a gym in years.) I signed up for the coupon, signed Darrin up and signed my friend Tache up. Talk about a support system! It's much more fun to work out if you have a partner! I thought if Darrin just went 3 times a week it would be way worth it and during the day I could go with Tache. So last night at 6:3op.m I talked Darrin into going up to the gym to talk to someone and just see what we thought. Not necessarily to work out, just see if we were interested. He agreed, so we went.

We walk up to the door and there was a sign "blah blah blah last day January 31, 2009." We didn't pay it much attention, walked up to the desk (with our printed out 7 day trial coupons) and said we wanted to talk to someone about a membership. He chuckled a little, I felt like we had NEWBIE written across our forehead or something and said, "ok, fill this out, there is the line." I was thinking what in the world?! A line?! Usually they are at the door waiting to convince you to sign up. It's January 31st, is everyone else here tackling their New Year's resolutions today too??

Come to find out it was the last night to sign up without paying an introductory fee, which was like $87.99 per person and the monthly fee was $29.99 vs $34.99. What a deal!! It was totally meant to be!! So after waiting our turn and filling out all the paper work, it was 8:30 pm so we just headed home, it was definitely past Reagan's bedtime and she was getting fussy. But we were super pumped about our new membership deal and we have officially jumped on the bandwagon!!

Dancing Queen

Here's a video Tache made yesterday for me while she watched Reagan I think she gets her moves from her Momma!

Back To Sewing Class I Go

It's been almost 2 months since I have been able to attend my Thursday night sewing class. First we left for Dallas on the 6th of December, then my sister came back here for 10 days and last Thursday Kaitlyn was in town. Needless to say, I am excited to go back tonight! I bought some Valentine's fabric, ordered her a shirt and have a few other things I want to work on. So, dinner has been made for Darrin and Reagan while I am gone, the house is all clean and all my sewing stuff is loaded up!

While I was cooking this afternoon I needed Reagan to be busy so I let her feed herself yogurt. This was the end result!

Happy 21st Birthday Lance!

Wish we were there to celebrate your big birthday week! Finally you can get in places without being from Arkansas! Have fun tonight...and tomorrow night, and Friday night and Saturday night. Can't wait to see all the pictures that turn up! Be careful Potter, we love and miss you!

Park Day!

This week has been the L O N G E S T week and it's only Tuesday!! It seems like the days last forever! I guess I am just used to having company, being busy and now I don't know what to do with all of our time. By the time the morning is over, we have already played with every toy, read every book, eaten everything in the kitchen and danced to every song.

It looks like playing at the park is going to be an everyday occurrence now until I can find other things that keep her busy. I found a gym that I am going to try out one day this week, but for now I have to really be creative! She doesn't stay interested in one thing for very long!

Here are some pictures from the park. We didn't stay to long because it was a little chilly and she is just getting over a runny nose. However, it got us out of the house and she was able to burn some energy before coming home for a nap. She had so much fun in the swing and slid down the slide all by herself!

Who Else Loads The Dishwasher Besides Me?

Reagan does!! Today Darrin and I were in the living room watching the BIG Saints/Viking game. Reagan was playing around in the living room with us in all her toys. She wondered off and a few minutes later I asked Darrin, "what's Reagan doing?" He said, "oh just playing in the kitchen." I started to listed to see if I could hear what she was into and I thought I heard silverware. I didn't think she was able to get into out silverware drawer, so I peeked over the counter and this is what I saw.

a. How in the world did she pull down the dishwasher! It was closed, so she opened it!

b. She crawled on top and was sitting on the door.

c. Oh perfect, she was playing with 3 knives.

Happy Birthday Kaitlyn!

I can't believe its been almost 2 years since the last time I have seen one of my best friends, Kaitlyn. We have been good friends since college and now she lives with her husband in Louisiana. We still manage to keep in contact with each other, however the last time I saw her was in April of 2008 at one of her bridal showers. Which means I was 5 months pregnant!! That seems like so long ago.

So I am SO, so excited that she is here! AND it's her birthday! AND she finally got to meet Reagan! We took her to The Fish Market for dinner tonight to celebrate the big 2 9!! Happy Birthday Kaitlyn, thanks for coming to see us!

Reagan Won Today

Today started out well. We had an early lunch with The Sperry girls then came home and played.

We played with Elmo.

Played dress up in my closet.

And played with toys.

This has been a little bit of a rough week for Reagan. For one she is sick. She started out with a low grade fever and now she is just stuffy. Her fever has gone away but her nose is still runny. Second, she is teething. She has her top four and bottom four and I think now she is working on the sides and the back. None have actually broken through the gum, I can just tell they are on their way. Needless to say she is whiny, needy, fussy and a bit of a pain.

She has done okay, still sleeping through the night. She is on both tylenol and motrin, we have teething tablets and of course the orajel. I hear her a few times in the night wake her self up with her snoring, just not being able to breath very well, but I never have to go in there. Then around 7 am she is up (which her normal time is around 7:45 or 8) I get her a cup of milk and bring her into our bed. Usually we just lay there and eventually she will nod off for another hour or so.

Like I said before she sleeps throughout the night in her bed, it's not until in the morning when I go get her that she is in our bed. However the past two days I have not been able to get her to nap in her bed. I tried letting her cry it out today and after an hour I caved. I couldn't help it. I know that she isn't feeling 100% and she is teething. I know that she just wants to be with me and it's so hard for me to punish her for that. When I am sick or don't feel good, I just want to be with someone and no one can make you feel better than your own mom.

I guess this is something I shouldn't have started. I never wanted to be the parents who have their child sleeping with them, but it seems like thiscould be heading in that direction.

So Reagan won today.

And this is what she looked like when she woke up.

I am hoping that this won't last. That once she is back to feeling well she will not give me such a hard time at naps. I feel like I might be starting the cry it out phase all over again, which was totally heartbreaking. Oh well, I just have to try not to stress about it, remember that it won't last, and enjoy every minute together.

Breakfast With Reagan

This morning I decided to give Reagan her first very own bowl of cereal. She is really good at using a fork and a spoon so I thought I would see how she would do adding a "bowl" of milk to the mix. I have seen those bowls that suction onto the table but I have yet to buy some, so today we just experimented!

(notice the amount of milk I added)

"Maybe it would be easier for me to just use my fingers."

"Wait, I can do this, just let me hold the spoon in one hand

and the bowl in the other"

"mmmmmm"

"Let me see if it works better with my left hand."

"Wow mom, this is fun!"

Future Swimsuit Model!

Aunt Mae Mae's Last Day

Well today is the day I have been dreading, my sisters last day here. I don't know what I am going to do with myself, I have had company for a month and a half and now its back to just Reagan and I. We are going to have to readjust ourselves and our schedules.

We decided to just take it easy, we had lunch at California Pizza Kitchen for lunch and finished up her last day with more shopping. (no thats not ALL we did) Afterwards we came home and tried to figure out how she was going to get 10lbs of new clothes in her luggage. Especially since her bag weighed 49.5lbs on her way here. We waited for Darrin to get home and all just relaxed. We finished the night off with popcorn and a movie!

Aunt Mae Mae loves her twinkie

Thanks so much sister for coming, we had a wonderful 10 days with you. You are such a sweet and caring person and Reagan & I love you so much. Good luck this semester with all your nursing classes, I know you will work hard and do great. I guess it's time to count down until the next time we see you. When will that be?!

We love you - Darrin, Erin & Reagan