The 2 buttons on the right side of my blog page ---------->
are support buttons for 2 babies whose parents keep blogs for them. They are both very, very sick, though one is getting better a little more very day :)
If you are interested in checking out their stories, the links are below. I am sure the families could use the extra thoughts and prayers......
Kayleigh's Blog
http://kayleighannefreeman.blogspot.com/
Stellan's Blog
http://www.mycharmingkids.net/
Thursday, April 30, 2009
For Anyone Who is Interested or Curious......
Posted by Kristen at 10:36 PM 0 comments
A Day at the Beach With Mommy
Posted by Kristen at 7:15 PM 0 comments
Monday, April 27, 2009
Arts in the Park and The Opening of the Beaches
Posted by Kristen at 10:59 AM 0 comments
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The Funny of the Day
Ainsley is at the age where her little sense of humor is starting to show. She will go to hand you something, and just as you reach for, she will pull it away and just LAUGH like it is the funniest thing. She will just babble away, almost like she is telling a story or a joke, with her hands just flapping through the air, and when she is done, she laughs. It really is adorable.
Well, tonight, after Steven got home, we were in the bedroom with him while he was getting changed out of his work shirt. She was on the bed with me, climbing on me and basically squeezing the life out of me. I told her to be careful, that Mommy was like a cat and only had 9 lives. And I am down to 2 since she hurts me all the time. I told her that if she can go a week without hurting me, all 7 of the missing lives will replenish and I will be back to 9.
Steven got on the bed and laid down next to her. I told her to go beat up Daddy because he is older and that means that he has more lives than Mommy.
Steven said, "Yep, Daddy is an old man."
Ainsley responded with, "Oh No!" And then she laughed like a little hyena.
Posted by Kristen at 11:41 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
An Overview of Ainsley's Sleep Training Progress and the Cutest Thing Ever!!!
Ok, so here is a quick run down of the progress, however little it may be, of the sleep training.
Friday night: 7.5 hours in the crib
Saturday night: 5 hours in the crib
Sunday night: 2.5 hours in the crib
Monday night: 2 hours and 15 minutes in the crib
Tuesday night: 1 hour and 55 minutes in the crib
Wednesday night: 1 hour and 40 minutes in the crib
I am not sure what is causing her to wake up, but whatever it is is making her inconsolable, almost to the point of hyperventilation at times. She will not calm down for any reason until I take her out of the room. Then she will fall back to sleep immediately. If I take her back to her room, she wakes up. Could she be having nightmares????
Ainsley has learned a new phrase. She can now say, "I love you." I have video for you to see of her saying it. It is THE cutest thing EVER!!!
Posted by Kristen at 11:24 PM 0 comments
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Another NIght in the Crib
Ainsley made it 5 hours in her crib last night.
I am so proud of her.
Posted by Kristen at 1:30 PM 0 comments
Update on the Sleep Training
Ainsley went to sleep for her nap today in her crib, after 5 minutes. She slept for an hour and 15 minutes.
She has been asleep in her crib tonight for 2 hours and 30 minutes and counting. We shall see how the night goes.......
Posted by Kristen at 2:00 AM 0 comments
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Drum Roll Please........
How does 7.5 hours sound???
Because that is how long Ainsley made it asleep in her own bed! She woke up at 5:30 this morning, crying. I went in there and she smiled this huge smile at me. I grabbed her up and just hugged her and was so excited for her. She is Mommy's Big Girl.
I will admit that I had a very hard time last night falling asleep. Tears were actually shed as I clutched the baby monitor to my chest. I missed my sweet baby girl so much! But I eventually fell asleep and everything was fine.
Posted by Kristen at 10:03 AM 0 comments
Friday, April 17, 2009
The Trials and Tribulations of Sleep-Training a Toddler
As many of you know, we have to this point, done the co-sleeping thing with Ainsley. Mostly due to my severe Post Partum Depression after she was born. I could not be away from her while she slept and I had the most horrible fear that something would happen if I were not there. It ended up working out well for us. She and I both slept better, beside one another. Our breathing and heartbeats would actually sync up. I always knew when she moved or needed me.
Now that she is nearing the 2 year old mark and I am finally starting to get over the PPD, we have decided that it is time to get her used to sleeping in her own room.
Anyone that has ever done any kind of sleep-training with an infant understands how difficult it can be. Now imagine doing it with a toddler. FUN STUFF!!!
We started on Wednesday night. We got home from Mike and Mary Lou's house for dinner and Ainsley went straight into the tub. After her bath, she got into her PJ's and she and I snuggled down in the rocking chair in her room with some milk. It took me an hour to get her to sleep. Once asleep, I gently placed her in the crib. The very second that she touched the mattress, she woke up SCREAMING!!!!! She was inconsolable, so I brought her back out to the living room with me and got her to sleep like normal. She slept in our bed with us that night.
Thursday night around 8:30, I took her into her room, changed her diaper and got her into her pj's. We again snuggled down in the rocking chair with some milk, this time with a nature CD of rainforest sounds playing softly in the background. I got her to sleep this time in about 35 minutes, but held off putting her in the crib for a little while longer. I wanted to make sure she was out cold. So about 20 minutes later, I placed her gently in the crib. Same thing. Woke up SCREAMING as soon as she touched the mattress. She stood up and held her arms out to me. It was HEARTBREAKING! I laid her back down, covered her back up and gave her eebee to snuggle with. I then began to gently rub her back. I did this for about 20 or 30 minutes. Every time I would think she was asleep and I would start to back out of the room, she would flip over and begin to cry. Steven went in and did the same routine with her for another 30 minutes or so. Then he got her up and took her to bed with him. She was out within minutes.
Due to having slept for so long and so good last night, she was wide eyed and bushy tailed this morning at 8:15. We got up and she had breakfast. Then she watched her eebee DVD and had some milk. We colored and played all day. She was really tired by 12:30. After she had lunch, I took her into her room and we settled into the rocking chair with some milk. After about 30 minutes, she was drowsy enough that I could lay her down in the crib, cover her up and sit in the chair without her crying. So I sat there for about 15 minutes and she fell asleep!!! She only slept for about an hour and a half, but it is progress in the right direction.
Tonight at 8:30, we started the process. took her in, got settled in the chair, she had her milk, and I waited. She was so sleepy. After she was done with her milk, I laid her down in the crib and patted her on the back. She fought falling asleep for about 15 minutes and I eased out of the room. It took her about 10 minutes before she started crying and I let her cry for about 10 minutes or so before I went in there. That was so HARD to do. I went in and picked her up and we sat down in the chair. She was out in minutes. I rocked her for about 35 or 40 minutes and was able to get her down into the crib without her waking up. I walked out of the room at 10:00. It is now 11:19 and she is still sound asleep in her own bed!
She did kind of squeal a little earlier and I had to fight to run back there. I have the monitor here with me and can hear her breathing and every now and then a little baby snore. I have no idea if she is going to make through the night or only for a little while longer. Part of me wishes for all night and part of me wishes for just a little while longer. This is hard on me too. It means no more little warm body to pull close to me in the middle of the night. It's sad but exciting all at the same time.
Posted by Kristen at 10:58 PM 0 comments
Monday, April 13, 2009
The Bunny Came and Ainsley's First Easter Egg Hunt
Posted by Kristen at 12:39 AM 0 comments
Friday, April 10, 2009
Prepare to be Proud.......
Ainsley fell asleep at about 8:00 tonight, in Steven's lap. So, I picked her up and took her to her room. I carefully placed her in her crib, covered her up and placed her little night lite in the bed with her, and walked out of the room. She stayed asleep through all that.
SHE SLEPT IN HER OWN CRIB ALONE FOR AN HOUR AND 45 MINUTES!!!!!!
Posted by Kristen at 11:52 PM 0 comments
Real Quick.....
Just wanted to say "Happy 21 Month Birthday Ainsley Mae!"
Posted by Kristen at 6:53 PM 0 comments
My Dad's New Apartment
Yesterday, Ainsley and I went over to my dad's new apartment. My aunt Teresa and uncle Ron had driven down from Atlanta with a UHaul full of my dad's furniture and stuff. So we went over to see if there was anything that we (read, I) could do to help them get unpacked. By the time that we got there, they had the truck unloaded and had already returned it. They had his bed and dresser set up, along with his 2 night tables. The thing that you have to keep in mind about this apartment is that it is tiny. When I say tiny, I mean like 390 square feet of tiny. But, it works for what he needs. And he likes it, so that is all that matters.
The apartment is one room with a bathroom. You walk in the door and to your left is a kitchen, with a mini sink and a 3 burner stove. Straight ahead of you is his book shelf and TV. Next to the TV is his dresser. Across from the dresser, is his bed, which is to your right when you walk in the door. The place is 13 feet wide and 28 feet long. So it it basically a bedroom with a little bitty kitchen on one wall.
Ainsley loved the place, especially since she got to play on her Poppa's bed. She had her purse full of all her Little People, Princesses, ponies and what nots. She dumped it on the bed and played with Uncle Ron. The she discovered the recliner that rocks. She stood in the chair and kind of bounced off the back of it, making it rock. She was saying, "Aweeeee!"
Posted by Kristen at 12:00 PM 0 comments
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Potty Training Mishaps
Ainsley woke up this morning bone dry! So I picked her up and rushed her to her potty. I took her diaper off and sat her down on the potty. She sat there with a huge grin on her face and then she stood up. As she was walking bare bummed across the bathroom, I hear this little voice say, "Ewww! Uh oh!" I look to see a trail of pee across the bathroom floor. She was walking and peeing at the same time and saying, "Ewww! Uh oh! Ewww! Uh oh!"
I sat her back on her potty while I cleaned up the floor. I couldn't help but laugh though.
Posted by Kristen at 11:58 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Talking in Her Sleep
Posted by Kristen at 9:46 PM 0 comments
65_RedRoses (A Documentary About Cystic Fibrosis)
I follow a blog called Confessions of a CF Husband (here on Blogger). It is the story of a family that has been greatly affected by Cystic Fibrosis. The wife had a double lung transplant last April. The family has a friend that is also a CF patient, that has made a documentary about her life and her wait for a double lung transplant. If you are at all interested, please check them out.
http://cfhusband.blogspot.com/ Nate, Trish and baby Gwen's story. It is a very touching thing to read and will have an impact on your life, whether you know someone with CF or not.
Here is a link to view the trailer of the documentary film. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMGUXOtFxjc&feature=player_embedded
Posted by Kristen at 12:25 PM 0 comments
Monday, April 6, 2009
Trying to Get Ainsley to Repeat After Me
Today, I had the brilliant idea to try and get Ainsley to say, "Mommy's baby." Should have been a breeze as she can both of these words flawlessly, right? Nope. Here is what was said......
ME: Say Mommy's baby.
AINSLEY: Baby Mama.
ME: No, say Mommy's baby.
AINSLEY: Baby Mama.
ME: Ainsley, say Mommy's baby.
AINSLEY: Baby Mama.
So, apparently, instead of Ainsley being Mommy's baby, I am Baby Mama....... Isn't she a little young to be picking up the slang stuff??? LOL.
Posted by Kristen at 6:41 PM 0 comments
Drawing Pictures, Dinner at G. Diddy's House and BUBBLE WRAP!
Posted by Kristen at 12:34 AM 0 comments
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Adventures of Ainsley and the Water Cooler
In our kitchen, we have a water cooler. We use it for drinking water, as our water in the sink is through the water softener, which adds salt to the water. No so good for drinking. Anyway. Ainsley has discovered that she can push the button and make water come out. GREAT! So, earlier tonight, she took one of her tea cups from her play kitchen and walked over to the water cooler. Can you see where this is going???
I walk into the kitchen behind her to see her standing there at the cooler, with her cup poised under the spout and she is releasing water into her cup. She is just beaming, she's so proud. She then takes the cup, that is full to the brim, and walks across the kitchen and into the living room with it. Seeing as how she is a little person and still walks recklessly, water was splashing out onto the floor the whole time. She got into the living room and went to take a drink. Well, all of the water that she had worked so hard to get, had spilled out onto the floor. She held the cup up and looked at it like, "What the heck happened to my water?"
So, she goes back to the cooler for another cup of water. Except this time, when I walk into the kitchen behind her, she is not pouring the water into the cup. She is pushing the button and letting the water just pour out. There is a puddle at her feet, meaning the bottoms of her shoes are wet. She then decides to turn and walk across the tile floor with wet feet......
What happened next was like a slow motion montage of people slipping and sliding and falling. She very comically preceded to slip and slide across the floor, finally falling flat on her bum. She got up and slipped and slid again. Steven picked her up and put her on the carpet so that the bottoms of her shoes could get dry. She then steps onto the tile floor and finds the one wet spot left and slips in it. And falls right on her bum AGAIN!
She was not hurt in any way, as her diaper pads her bum and protects it. So, now we have to figure out a way to keep her from constantly pushing the button and letting water pour out.......
Posted by Kristen at 9:24 PM 0 comments
Friday, April 3, 2009
She made it........
The 4th pair of panties lasted 45 minutes! We were actually on our way down the hall to the bathroom to try and go pee pee. She almost made it. I do know that she does not like the plastic waterproof pants very much......
Posted by Kristen at 9:20 PM 0 comments
On to the 4th Pair.....
The 3rd pair of big girl panties lasted 30 minutes. It seems like we have a pattern going on here....30 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes. I will have her on the potty seat in 10 minutes this time. We shall see how it goes.......
Posted by Kristen at 8:40 PM 0 comments
Our Trip to Babies R Us/Toys R Us and Big Girl Panties
Posted by Kristen at 7:49 PM 0 comments
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Ainsley's Doctor's Appointment
Ainsley had her 18 month Well Baby check up today. I know that she is just days away from being 21 months old, but with her having been so sick for so long, she was unable to have the appointment until now.
She has reached all of her major milestones; such as stacking blocks, forming simple phrases, following simple directions, and having a vocabulary of at least 10 words. She weighs in at a whopping 26.5 pounds, which puts her in about the 65th percentile. Height wise, she is 33.5 inches tall, meaning she is in the 79th percentile. I thought she was pretty short, but I guess I was wrong. Maybe all of these people that have been telling me that she is big for her age have been right???
On the vaccine front, she was scheduled to get the first dose of the MMR vaccine. That shot scares the HELL out of me. It just gives me this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I have done tons and tons of research since Ainsley was born regarding the vaccines she has to have. This is the ONLY one that I have any problems with. I won't go into details, as I want people to do their research and know what they are getting into before they vaccinate their child. Choosing to vaccinate your child is a very personal decision, not one that should be taken lightly and definitely not one that can be made for you. Please know your options.
I opted to postpone the MMR vaccine to a later time. Instead, she got the 4th DTaP and the 2nd Hepatitis A vaccines. Poor baby girl got both shots in her little left leg. She SCREAMED like you wouldn't believe. This is the part of the appointment where I have to fight the urge to hurt the nurse because she is hurting my baby. The shots were over in 2 seconds flat, but the tears kept coming for several minutes. She just threw her little arms around my neck and cried into my shoulder. It breaks my heart when she cries like that.
The doctor did hear a heart murmur for the very first time today. He said that it sounds like a Grade 1 Systolic Ejection Murmur. Grade 1 meaning "Very faint, heard only after listener has "tuned in"; may not be heard in all positions." Systolic Ejection means that the murmur is occurring while the heart is contracted, just as the blood is being released. Make sense??? Yeah, me either. Cardiology was NOT my best subject in Nursing School. basically what it means is that is not really anything to worry about.
They will have her come back in about 3 weeks or so and see the same doctor again. If he hears it a second time, he will have her come back again in another 3 weeks. If he hears it a 3rd time, he will refer her to a Pediatric Cardiologist for an Echo cardiogram. 9 times out of 10, he says it will come back as nothing. I had a Grade 1 murmur when I was a baby, not sure if it was systolic though. Steven had a murmur when he was a preteen. We both outgrew them and I believe that Ainsley will too.
So, because of getting 2 shots in the late afternoon, Ainsley was sort of a pill tonight. I can't blames her. vaccines make you feel like CRAP. But, she has fallen asleep on my cchest for the VERY first time today. She had no nap at all. She was EXHAUSTED. And she looks SO peaceful right now.
Posted by Kristen at 11:22 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
For All of The Parents With Little Ones
Extended Rear-Facing for toddlers.
Posted by Kristen at 11:20 PM 0 comments
How to say Love You, Ainsley's Babycakes and Zavi's 1st Birthday
Posted by Kristen at 10:23 PM 0 comments