12.09.2012

Boy or Girl?

I am having a boy!! I cannot tell you how excited we are to be able to experience each sex.  Julian is sooooo happy it is so great! He feels so proud that he is going to have a son.  I love having a little girl and I am sure I will love having a little boy.  From what I hear, it is two totally different worlds, so I am really looking forward to see what a baby boy will be like!! Also, we actually *tried* for the boy, so for me, it worked.  We did exactly what we were supposed to to and BOOM we got our little boy! I feel so blessed!

Anyway, I wanted to do a comparison of Old Wives tales to see which ones were true (for me) and which ones weren't....

Chinese Gender Chart:  Both times on the Bump's Chinese Gender Chart, when I filled out my information, I was told boy.  Eloise is obviously not a boy, so it was wrong there. This time, we are having a boy, so it was right.  I wouldn't trust this test :)

Girls make you crave sweets and boys make you crave salty: YES YES YES!!! This is 100% true in my case. When I was pregnant with Eloise, all I wanted was ice cream and cookies and wedding cake. Wierd, right?  I also wanted other sweet things like fruit or sweet tea. Don't get me wrong, french fries were yummy but I didn't want them all the time. This time around, I would rather eat pizza and french fries and fried chicken and chips.  I still like cookies and such, but I don't really crave it.  I CRAVE salty treats.  This test I believe to be correct!!

Boys you just gain in your belly and girls you gain all over: I actually think this one is true.  I didn't think I was gaining all over last time, but I was.  Comparing last pregnancy to this pregnancy, I needed a bigger size last time in jeans and pants. This time, I am not gaining as much wait all over. I know this now, because I am having two totally different pregnancies!

Girls give you morning sickness and boys don't.: True for me!! I actually never had morning sickness with either, but I definitely felt more sick with Eloise.  I was nauseous feeling and more tired with her than this time around.  I thought I was pregnant with a boy last time because I wasn't throwing up, so I didn't have morning sickness.  But, comparing the two, this time I felt NOTHING even close to sickness in the first trimester, but with little Miss I had my moments of not feeling well.  I think this one is true for me!

Feeling movement before 20 weeks is a boy, after 20 weeks is a girl: TRUE AGAIN! I didn't feel ANYTHING close to movement until my 20 week ultrasound and then it was just flutters for a couple weeks. This time, I felt movement at 16 weeks and by 20 weeks I could feel movement with my hand on my belly.  That didn't happen for a long time with Eloise. He's kicking and flipping all over the place and she wasn't as active. ANOTHER TRUTH (at least in my case).

Hair on your legs grows faster with a boy: True! I feel like a hairy man this time around, I felt like my hair really slowed growth on my legs with Eloise. This little boy is turning me into a hairy monster.
 TRUE!

Butt gets big with a girl and not with a boy: Not true in my case. Actually it's the complete opposite. My butt did get bigger with Eloise, but this time, it is wayyy bigger. So this is not true for me.

Girls give you acne and suck away your beauty and boy's make you beautiful:  I didn't get acne really at all with either pregnancy but I do feel prettier this time.  Last time, I had pregnancy mask (which I have this time just not as pronounced) and I had my occasional breakout.  This time, thank goodness, there have been no skin issues that I can tell yet.  So, I guess in a sense, this is true.

Heartbeat over 140 BPM means girl and under 140 BPM means boy: This heart rate has been different each time, so this one has no clout in my book

So maybe there is some truth to those Old Wives Tales..



12.02.2012

The Christmas Season

This is my first Christmas Season that I have been working in a couple of years, and boy it's busy!! I just feel like there are too many things on my to do list and not enough time to do it all! Ha! Thanksgiving and Eloise's birthday was a crazy weekend and now it's December and the crazy doesn't stop! Luckily, this is the good kind of crazy and everything we have planned is fun and exciting!!
Julian is back to work full time which makes him excited, and I am so happy for him! I just sometimes miss my house husband! But, it's been great and he seems so happy! Besides that, this past weekend we were busy! We shopped for a mattress for Eloise's new bed, had a North Pole Breakfast thanks to Pete the Elf (Eloise named him, not us lol!) and did all the inside decorating for Christmas. Decorating with a toddler can be challenging and we learned how fast expensive ornaments can be broken. But, we learned and she enjoyed it and asks for more ornaments all the time. On Sunday, our family was asked to do the first reading and candle lighting at our church for advent! It was really special and I'm glad we did it! Pastor Ray even announced that we were pregnant to the congregation and everyone was really sweet.

This week I have progress reports to do and we are finding out if Eloise is gonna have a baby brother or sister!! I still am 90% sure it's a boy, but I guess we will see if I predicted correctly! My mom watches Eloise now everyday (since Julian's back at work) and is trying to move back to sea bright. So tomorrow will be Eloise's first day back at Nan's house since the storm and we are praying she naps in a pack n play in my parents room amongst the crazy that is my parents bottom floor (workers/noise/George).

Next weekend we have the Christmas party up north for the children in a group home. Instead of doing gifts this year with any of my family (cousins/siblings/etc) we are all just donating what we would have spent and giving these kids a great Christmas!! It is double the amount of kids this year and we are trying to get them better gifts. Doing this is really making us see what Christmas is about! And of course, Julian is being Santa again which is hilarious.

We also have our town's Christmas Tree lighting. We missed it last year (by a day....yes we walked in the freezing cold to en empty park to see an already lit Christmas tree) I'm excited to do this and hopefully make it a tradition. It takes place in our park so it's close by and a fun little thing we can look forward to each year!

Then of course there are family Christmas gatherings and my friend's Christmas and the live Nativity at Church and a gingerbread house party I'm throwing for my class (ugh so much work but they love it). We have to set up Eloise's big girl room (I'm avoiding the inevitable) and start work on the nursery! I need to figure out my last day of work and hand in all the paperwork. Lots to do and before I know it, it'll be January!


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11.25.2012

All about my 2 year old!

I must say, the second birthday is way more fun than the big first birthday! She knew it was her birthday, she knows about presents, and she sure knows about cake. Eloise was so fun on her birthday and I can't believe I have a two year old!!!
All about Eloise at 2:
- she can pretty much say anything. Her vocabulary is really big and she can hold a conversation. It's amazing to me what she comprehends and remembers and how she can have a back and forth conversation.
- she still does not like to eat. She likes cheese, chocolate, apples, grapes, bananas, buttered bread, Mac and cheese and chicken nuggets. She also likes peas, yogurt, kefir, bagels with cream cheese, French toast, oatmeal and French fries. Spaghetti is a new fav lately.
- she doesn't like sharing at all. Especially her toys. I think a new sibling might help there...
- she can spell her name and count to 14, she knows her colors and shapes
- she can say the alphabet and sing twinkle twinkle and itsy bitsy
- she is potty training!!! She wears pull ups and will go in the potty! She doesn't necessarily tell me when she has to go, but when I put her on it, she'll go. It's just the beginning but I'm excited for the progress we have made. We just started after we got back from Disney so it's only been a little while. She is getting there!
- she has started to attempt the climb out of the crib thing. Not fun! We have her big girl bed, but we don't really have time to put it together and do her room until over break. We might have to get a jump on that sooner!
- she loves to wear princess dresses and tutus and begs us everyday to the point of tears to wear just that. So, most of the time, that's what she has on.




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11.13.2012

Disney Vacation 2012!

It was such an amazing trip! I am so glad we did it. It was so worth every penny spent to watch Eloise light up every time she met Mickey, Minnie, a princess, etc.
It was amazing to watch her interact with the characters and not be scared. We are already planning a trip for 2014!!
Here are the things that we did that we would definitely do again and things we would change for next trip...
- Rent a stroller from Orlando Stroller Company!!!! You pick a time and day and they drop it off at your resort and it was cheaper than renting at the parks! Plus the stroller was really nice and lightweight. Two out of the three days at the park, Eloise napped in it. I am definitely renting from them again! It was comfortable for her, and reclined but also lightweight and easy to fold up and carry on the bus. Everyone at Disney rents from them, the same stroller is all over the parks. I might even buy the double once baby #2 comes!
- Stay in a suite! I know it's just a place to sleep, but the extra room makes it very nice! We loved our resort (Art of Animation) and I would stay here again in a heartbeat. We do want to try out different places, so we might stay somewhere else next time, but I wouldn't mind staying here again. It is a value resort but very nice! There were three different buildings that had suites and one building with regular rooms, each with a different theme.  We stayed in Lion King but I know that Julian wants to stay in Cars next time we stay there :)
- Mickeys Backyard BBQ!! We did this for dinner our first night and Eloise got to dance with Minnie and she got a hug and a kiss from her. She was so excited, it made Julian and I tear up! So sweet! It was a great way to meet some characters.
- Spend nap time going around the world in Epcot. No kid likes that part, but it's cool as an adult and it takes a while to get all the way around. Eloise napped for about two hours while Julian and I strolled the streets. It was super nice and missy got a nice nap. Then, once she woke up, we headed over to future world in Epcot where she met some more characters and could go on some rides! Figment is scarier than it used to be and we will definitely skip this one until she is older.
- Skipping animal kingdom! We spent one morning here but it defintely wasn't worth it if you dont' have the time. It was a nice morning to stroll around, but there were other places I could have gone.  I had never been to Animal Kingdom before and I don't really see the draw.  I guess there are some cool roller coasters but I couldn't go on them anyway, so with young children, there are better things to do. 
- Eat more lunches in our hotel.  I didn't mind eating lunch out before we strolled around Epcot while she napped. But, for the most part, I would prefer if she napped in the hotel.  There aren't too many places I would want to walk miles while she napped (Epcot being the exception).  It was nice to come back, eat a *cheaper* lunch, and then have her nap in the hotel while Julian and I rested and made a plan for the night. But, sometimes it is difficult to make it all the way back AND have lunch before little ones fall asleep.  Disney is high energy and when she was crashing, she CRASHED HARD. She needed her sleep big time.
- figuring out the dining plan. It seems like a good savings, but we just need to do some research. We didn't do it this time, but it intrigued us. We will be looking more into next time!

Those are my recommendations and tips from our first trip as a family! I can't wait to start planning our next one! I told Julian I'd wait until the summer to start. I can hardly wait :)


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11.06.2012

Lots going on!

I can't believe that in the wake of all this craziness that is our life right now, we are living for Disney tomorrow!  A few things...
- Superstorm Sandy was nuts. My parents FINALLY got to go into their house for an hour or two today to get clothes and necessities.  That's right-- they had a couple things with them when they evacuated on SUNDAY.  It has been over a week (9 days to be exact) before they were allowed to get in to their house to get winter jackets, hats, clothes, etc. They are not allowed to live there for at least 4 months.  But, as usual, they have a good attitude about the whole thing and have not once complained. I am so very proud of how they are handling their situation.  People who have suffered way less because of this storm seem to be complaining way more, and I am just happy that they always look on the bright side.  Although homeless, they are still joking and happy go lucky.
-We left and went to VA for a couple days while we didn't have power. Our poor town was really hit hard, but fortunately, our house really made out well.  Most of our town is still without power but we are so very blessed to have it now. Julian had a couple trees he had to fix, but besides that everything was good.  We were just without power, and we heard a rumor it was going to take a week.  A week without power plus a toddler = we left.  Thank goodness we have family in VA who were happy to take us.  It was a good visit with heat and hot water! Plus, Eloise got to experience Halloween with her cousins!! She absolutely loved it and carries a basket around the house saying 'trick or treat' and demanding candy. She was the cutest Tinker bell ever!



-


- Tomorrow we leave for Disney! I am a little nervous for the flight but we have Eloise's favorite movie (Cinderella) and TV shows (little Einsteins and Mickey Mouse clubhouse) on the iPad and also a couple books and some pop pops (lollipops). She Should be entertained enough during the flight!
There are a couple things I'm excited about for Disney....
1. We rented a stroller through an outside company that drops it off and picks it up at our resort. I'm excited to see how this works out. We got a city mini and it wasn't expensive so I hope it works out well so we can do it again next time!
2. We are staying at a new resort for Disney (Art of Animation). It is a value resort but has family suites. We will be in a suite with 1 bedroom, living room, kitchenette and two bathrooms. If this works out, it may be where we stay next time as well. I like having space with Eloise napping and such. One hotel room just wouldn't suffice.
3. Character dinners and such. We have reservations for dinner every night at different places, and none that I ever remember doing before. Our first dinner is Mickeys backyard BBQ! I'm so excited to see how Eloise does meeting the characters. I hope she likes it because we also have reservations for a character breakfast Saturday morning!
- obviously I am not going to be able to hit my favorite rides ( I have a toddler and I'm pregnant) so I'm excited to just take things slow and do exactly what Eloise wants. We have three full days and we plan on spending the first at magic kingdom and the second at animal kingdom and Epcot. That way the last day can be a whatever day. Back to magic kingdom I predict but we could just walk around downtown! Who knows! I'm so excited to experience this with her!!

10.26.2012

Hello 2nd Trimester and an episode of Ellie says...

Let's start with Ellie says.  Lately, she has been cracking us up with the things she does and says.  She has some definite quirks (like she hates to wear pants and for her hands to be messy) and has no problem making her wishes known.

Here are some examples of what Eloise has been saying:

(Julian and Eloise are eating lunch at Jersey Mikes)
Eloise: "No pants, No pants"
Julian: "Sweetie, we are in public, you have to keep your pants on"
Eloise: "Oh, Ok, I sorry"

(We are eating dinner the other night)
Eloise: "I go pool"
Jackie: "We can't go to the pool today, it is too cold outside, the pool isn't even open"
Eloise: "Oh, I sorry"

(Leaving Nan and Pop's after she spent the day with them at chuck e cheese and at at their house)
Jackie: "Eloise, do you like visiting Nan and Pop's house?"
Eloise: "Yes, it's fun"

(Randomly all the time)
Eloise: "Mommy, baby.....Ellie, sister YAY!"

She refers to my mom as Nan, my dad as Papa, even though we call him Pop, my sister is Nini and my brother is "Silly Mike"  We didn't get her to call him that, she just started it by herself. She makes me laugh. She calls my grandma "gramma" and calls my Aunt Judy "2 Nan".  She sees both of them together and thinks there are two Nans.  It's hysterical.

During the middle of the meal she will insist that we stop and pray. So, of course, we do.  We ask her who she wants to pray for and she will mostly answer "Jesus" but this one time she answered "Yellow Jesus".  She folds her hands and bows her head, but it only lasts a couple seconds.

She got a wand from the dollar store and she walks around with it saying, "Bippidi Boppidi Boo" and we pretend to turn Duke into different animals that she wants him to be (her favorite animal to turn Duke into is a Duck).  Then I will pretend to turn her into a cat and she will crawl around Meowing.  Or I'll turn her into a horse and she will run around saying "neigh".  She loves animals right now.

She doesn't like to be messy, or her hands to be dirty, so eating cupcakes are a challenge.  She always wants one when we have them, but she can't even pick it up to eat it because she gets stuff on her hands. It ends up being a weird little experiment with messes.

She also uses "excuse me" correctly and will say it if someone is in her way ("Scuse me Daddy"). Unless it's Duke, then she will say "Move Dukey".  She refers to Duke as Dukey. It's really sweet.

We made a final decision on what to do about the crib thing.  After doing some research and talking to people around school who have lots of little ones, we decided to buy Eloise her big girl bed.  We got her a bed, dresser and a vanity at Pottery Barn Kids (on sale!) and will transition her to her new room, in her new bed, around Christmas time.  She already knows she is getting a big girl room and she has told us numerous times she wants it to be "lellow" (yellow).  But, I can't paint a room yellow. Her actual favorite color is purple --- She will always pick things that are purple to wear or buy-- so we will do purple for her room.  I am excited to see how she does!

As far as beginning my second trimester, it is super exciting! I still feel exactly the same except maybe a little bit more energy now.  I didn't even realize I was tired before, I just am less tired now, and it is nice! We have finally narrowed down names so that should make naming this little baby easier.  I am starting to wear maternity pants because I hate the Bella Band, but I am still in normal shirts.  I am at the point where I just feel frumpy, and I am excited about when I really have a nice size belly and I can feel good about it.  That happened at about 18-20 weeks last time, so I suspect it will happen around 16-19 weeks this time, considering how much faster my belly is growing this time around. 

Still really really thinking boy. AND I am so excited about it.  I feel like one girl and one boy is perfect. But, if this baby is a girl I will super exstatic as well. I just don't think it is.  People ask us if we are done having children and my answer is "I don't know".  I really want to see how 2 is before I decide if I want more.  Lots of people have opinions on this subject, but I can't make that decision until I see how it goes.  I would be really happy with two healthy children. But, we might decide we want more.  I can't really make the decision quite yet!

Nothing else has been going on, we are just preparing for FrankenSTORM.  It really stinks this storm is on Halloween because Eloise is really at a good age for trick or treating.  She knows how to say "Trick or Treat" because we have been practicing and she understands (I think) that she will get yummy candy when she says that to people.  Plus, my mom made her an OUTSTANDING Tinkerbell costume, so ya know, I'll make her dress up regardless and wear it around the house pretending to trick or treat.

10.11.2012

12 weeks pregnant

12 weeks --- October 11, 2012
Holy Moly!! I can't believe I am 12 weeks!! For some reason, that I'm not sure of, I feel like I'm actually pregnant and it's going fast. The baby is about the size of a lime (I feel like that is finally something substantial).
Worries- I still can't figure out what to do about Eloise's crib situation. Try to move her to a toddler bed? Get the baby a new crib? Eloise's crib will become a toddler bed and then a double bed, so she can potentially keep it for a while. I think that's how I'm leaning. Let her grow with her bed and get baby a new crib. It just seems silly to have two nice new cribs. Oh well. Or I could get a cheap toddler bed in like February and see how she does. If she does well, she can keep it, if she doesn't- back to the crib and go with plan A. Decisions, decisions!!
Random stuff- while we were in Cape May we went pumpkins picking and Eloise picked her first pumpkin!! Today Julian is painting it with chalkboard paint so she can decorate it with chalk. I hope it turns out cute (thanks, Pinterest!). We also have a pumpkin decorating thing at my school one night that I'm going to bring Eloise. And we have trick or treating at Kelly and Jeff's and trunk or treat at church! Lots to look forward to!! And as soon as Halloween is over, it'll be time to start packing for Disney!! I can't wait!

Gross pic I know but I have to document the belly. Even if its bed time and I'm in my Pj's!



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10.07.2012

11 weeks pregnant and other random stuff

11 weeks pregnant - October 4th, 2012

Still feeling good.  I am starting to get uncomfortable when I sleep and also those weird pains if I stand up too fast. Besides that, I still don't feel pregnant AT ALL. I am excited for my next ultrasound (October 17th) so I can see the heartbeat again to remind me that there is a baby in there.  This pregnant is so different than with Eloise.  First of all, I don't remember I am pregnant at all. Also, I have barely thought about a baby coming into this family. I am too busy between work and Eloise to even think about it.  But, I guess with a second child, things are different.  My stomach definitely sticks out more, but I think it just looks like I got fat. Especially if you see me after 4pm.  That's when I look like I need weight watchers. I also am not as tired as I was with Eloise. I remember laying down after work everyday and barely getting up until the next morning most days in my first trimester.  This time I don't sit down until around 8pm, and I am tired, but I don't notice it as much.  Maybe it is because I can't notice it.  I am not allowed to be tired, so I'm not.  Who knows.

I still have a 'boy' feeling, but I am starting to feel that this baby could be a girl.  I was reading old wives tales and everything is adding up to girl.  I read a faster heart rate is a girl (170 last time we checked), and a bigger butt means girl, and I am definitely growing there.  I am not nauseous and that means boy, and so does becoming hair which is happening,so we have that.  I also read that if your first kid sucks two fingers instead of their thumb it means the next baby will be a girl.  Eloise NEVER sucked her thumb but will occasionally suck her two fingers. Who knows, I can't wait to find out. I really don't care either way.  I just want a HAPPY and HEALTHY baby.

My brother's wedding was amazing.  It was probably the best wedding I have ever been to (besides my own :) ).  The band had everyone dancing the whole night and they had a fun photo booth and the food was AMAZING. They did pictures before the ceremony and I had never been in a wedding that did that, and that made cocktail hour fun for the bridal party :).  Cape May was absolutely beautiful and now Julian wants to move there.  It was a really nice weekend and they deserved it! Eloise was pretty good taking pictures on the beach but when we went back for more pictures on the grounds, she melted down and didn't want her shoes on or to take anymore pictures.  Then, she had to walk down the aisle. I was getting nervous she wasn't going to go.  But, Julian walked her down (barefoot) and gave her a chocolate cupcake to hold and she was super happy walking down with flowers in the one hand and a chocolate cupcake in the other.  She sat for a short while, and then saw me and started crying.  Since it was outside, Julian was able to just sneak off with her and it worked out well.  Once cocktail hour started, they came back and she was covered in chocolate all over her white dress.  Good thing pictures were over!! Then she insisted on being on the dance floor dancing all night.  She even danced on the dance floor throughout the whole first dance for Mike and Jen.  I physically could not get her off.  She partied hard and had a great time.  She kept saying, "more more dance".  It was super cute and hilarious.  I can't wait to see the pictures of her!

9.27.2012

10 weeks pregnant

10 weeks pregnant - September 27, 2012
How I feel: still feeling great, which I am so thankful for!! I am getting pain if I move from sitting or laying to standing too fast (round ligament pain I think?) I also feel like the hair on my legs is growing at super speeds, as well as my belly!
All about BB#2: size of a kumquat??? Also, baby has completed all the major development stuff! I think I feel the baby moving but it's probably not that. I also still have a strong boy feeling!! I can't wait to find out!!
Stuff going on: we planned Eloise's 2nd birthday as an Elmo party and on Thanksgiving weekend. I bought invitations and crafted a wreath. Well, she is obsessed with Minnie Mouse, so we changed her theme and the date until the weekend after. We also planned her dedication for October 28th (we procrastinated this for months) and think we are just going to invite everyone over for football afterwards rather inviting everyone to church.  Some people at church would be OK but our church is not equipped for the amount of people that might show up if I gave out an open invitation :).
Worries: I can't decide what to do about buying another crib or not.  I don't want to force Eloise to get a big girl bed before she is ready, but I can't imagine buying another crib when she is almost out of hers.  I was thinking maybe in February getting her a toddler bed and seeing how she does.  Then, if it is awful and she isn't sleeping, buying her a cheap ikea crib until she is ready again.  I also thought she could just keep her crib at least for a couple weeks after the baby is born considering the new baby won't sleep in a crib for a while.  I mean, she is going to be 2 1/2 right after the baby is born.  How much longer can she sleep in a crib for? 6 months max? I guess we will figure it out....



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9.20.2012

9 weeks pregnant

9 weeks pregnant -- September 20, 2012'

So, they changed my due date from April 23rd to April 25th.  When I got my first ultrasound the dates came back anywhere between April 23rd and April 25th.  So, we just stuck with April 23rd based on my cyle.  But, at the next doctor's visit, they said they wanted to move it to the 25th, just to be safe.  I am totally fine with this because I feel like the later the due date, the better chance I have of not having to be induced.

Anywayyyyy.....
  How I feel:  I am still feeling really good.  My stomach is definitely starting to stick out a lot more.  By the end of the day, I feel like I look 4 months pregnant. I can't hide it any longer :)  I have heard you show a lot earlier with your second, but gee whiz.  I know it's not baby and it is all bloat but I don't remember this phase happening so soon.  I am still having a strong 'boy' feeling.  I checked the chinese gender chart and it said 'boy'.  But, it also said 'boy' for Eloise, so who knows!! Then, I checked the heart rate and it said anything over 140 bpm is a girl.  We were at 170bpm last visit so that is way over.  Who knows, I have no idea, all I care about is a healthy baby.  I also have a strong feeling I will be a couple days late.  My mother had me about 2 weeks early and my brother was 2 days late.  April 28th is my grandma Doris's birthday, so for some reason, I really feel like BB#2 (Baby Barker #2) will be born on April 28th. It is also a good friend's birthday and my other good friend had her baby on MY birthday, so I have this weird feeling about THAT. That is my guess!

How big is baby: About the size of a green olive, which actually sounds delicious right now.

What I am looking forward to: My brother's wedding and our couple nights in Cape May at a very nice hotel.


9.16.2012

Back to school

So the first two weeks of school have come and went and BOY was I busy!!! But, I am happy to say, that we survived and I am ready to go back to a normal routine.  We have a lot of fun stuff going on this fall and I am just excited for the weather and all that comes with this season.
 Here are our random tidbits:
-Julian and I are helping out with the teens at our church on Wednesday night Life Groups. It is called Vitality and we had such an awesome experience our first Wednesday.  There are about 10-15 teens that come and this season of Life Groups is about forming good habits, (reading the bible, memorizing bible verses, praying daily, etc) and just really spending time with God. Julian took the boys, I had the freshman and sophomore girls, and the pastor that heads it up took the older girls.  They are such a sweet group of kids! I am excited to see where/how we can impact them and how they are going to impact us :)
- My class seems like a very sweet class. They are all good kids who want to behave and learn. Of course, on Friday I got a new student, and I feel like he is going to change the dynamic of this class. But, I guess I should wait and see :/
-Eloise's schedule is about as busy as a 1 year old can get. My mom watches her Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays and Julian has Wednesdays and Fridays. On Monday's she goes to Paint, Pour and Paste at the Manasquan Rec center for toddler arts and crafts with my mom. Every other Tuesday the cleaners come so my mom takes her up to Monmouth county to do shopping and back to Nan's to play. Wednesdays she goes to Dancing  Bears Music class with Julian and then to a toddler fitness class. She does both of these things BEFORE nap. She is going to be exhausted. Toddler fitness doesn't start until next week, so we will see how she does. Julian can't sit at home so he loves planning activities for them.  Thursday is nothing (thank goodness!) and Friday she goes to Little Gym.  She is a mover and a shaker.
-We planned our Disney Trip!!!!!!!! I am so excited that we were able to do this.  We are staying at the new resort, Art of Animation, where we got a family suite (we don't like having to share a room with Eloise due to naps). We are leaving late Wednesday night and coming home Sunday! I am so excited to see Eloise experience Mickey and Minnie and the princesses! She is gonna FLIP.
-Pregnancy is going really well. I have updated the first 8 weeks (minus week 7 because I forgot).  My weeks change on Tuesdays and I am going to try to update on Tuesdays but not much changes everyweek so I feel redundant.  Oh well.
-My brother's wedding is soooo soon! I can't believe.  My sister and Dave made them a reallyyyyyy nice cornhole thing to play during cocktail hour as a wedding gift.  I thought it was such a good idea. AND it is in their wedding colors. SO FUN.
-ALL of our favorite shows (Sons of Anarchy, New Girl, Homeland, Dexter, etc) start this month so we will be giving our DVR a HUGE workout.  I may have to stop reading a book every two days in order to watch.  I have been reading a bunch of YA books and they have been really entertaining (and only 3.99 or less on my kindle).  I have a few people at school who are also BIG readers and we always talk about good books and are always on Goodreads together, recommending books. I love getting recommendations because then I feel like I know what to expect

That is all for now :)



8 Weeks Pregnant

8 weeks pregnant -September 11, 2012

How I feel: Great!! I still pee a lot and I am VERY bloated by the end of the day. But, besides that I feel really good.  My stomach NEVER hurts (knock on wood) and I just feel altogether good.  I remember being REALLY tired with Eloise and also having some *ahum* stomach problems. This time, nothing really is bothering me.  That also makes me think this time it's a boy. Aren't girls supposed to make you feel sick? I am just so blessed that I didn't even get really sick with Eloise.
What I am excited about: We saw the doctor and BB (baby Barker) was measuring at exactly 8 weeks. My due date is still April 23, 2012 and there is a strong heartbeat (170 bpm).  I am just so happy BB has a heartbeat and is doing well. Our next doctor appointment is on Monday but the next ultrasound isn't until 12 weeks.
Random Thoughts:I still feel like this baby is a boy.  First of all, I don't feel sick at all. Second of all, I had a boy dream. Thirdly, I feel like my butt is getting huge. I remember my butt getting big with Eloise, but not as fast. Julian noticed it last week and I think a big butt points towards boy. 
All of our family and close friends now know. We even told pastor and his wife at church, the more prayers the better! I won't facebook announce or tell my principal until I am closer to 12 weeks. I am just super excited to grow our family!

9.15.2012

6 weeks pregnant!

6 weeks pregnant - August 28, 2012

How I feel: Pretty good still! Our hot water heater broke a couple days ago, and I haven't been able to shower, so that is making me feel gross.  I also can't really wash the dishes due to the lack of hot water, so the smell from the sink is making me feel slightly nauseous.  It's bad, though.  I am gonna have to just suck it up and clean it by hand with cold water just to get rid of the smell. EW. Sometimes I can't wait to go back to work because Julian does the dishes when I am at work.  I despise doing the dishes. As far as everything else,  I most definitely am getting the tired symptom and by 8pm, I am exhausted.  I also still feel bloated.

How big is baby:  Baby is the size of a sweet pea. He or she is growing like crazy, and is starting to get eyes, ears, nose, cheeks and a chin.  The little heart is beating! I can't wait to hear that sound!!

Who knows: My family and Julian's family both know now.  Also, my grandmother knows but she promises she hasn't told anyone.  She said she's just been avoiding everyone, HA! Aunt Paula most def knows.  I don't believe for a second that in the 4 conversations they have A DAY, she didn't mention it.  We are planning on telling our friends at a Labor Day party. 

Worries: Of course, I am worried about losing this baby.  I don't feel as pregnant as I want to feel.  I forget all the time.  I just can't wait to get the sonogram and hear the heartbeat.  Middle of September can't come soon enough!

9.14.2012

5 weeks pregnant

5 weeks pregnant - August 20,2012
How I feel: I feel great! I still have to pee constantly and feel very bloated by the end of the day, but that is about it. I was able to sleep OK on Friday night, but besides that, the insomnia is bad. My brain just won't shut off. I really hope that symptom goes away. Fast. With Eloise, I really remember a 'not great' feeling and being really tired. None of that has hit yet, so we will see!!
Size of baby: the size of a sesame seed! So little. I really forget I'm pregnant a lot of the time. Not a lot of people know, plus I have other things on my mind (school, Eloise, etc.). I definitely don't think about it as much as I did when I was pregnant with Eloise.
food cravings last week I was really into salty things like bacon and chips. This week, I still like that stuff but not as obsessed. I still am loving avocado and I can't get enough water! Which means I pee like crazy.
sex of the baby
Had a boy dream. I'm REALLY feeling boy. Obviously, I'm happy with a healthy baby. I have reasons I want a little girl (every girl needs a sister, I have all girl things, I love Girly girl stuff, I understand girls,etc) and reasons I want a boy (Julian gets a son, mamas little boy, to have one of each, to experience something different). We will know at about 20 weeks!!
what I'm excited about my first three dr appointments! I have the first three scheduled in September (blood work and paper work, sonogram, first real ob appointment). I just want to hear that heartbeat!



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4 weeks pregnant

4 weeks 2 days on  August 15, 2012
 Here's the story....
Last time I was at my doctor, I was concerned about some unexplained bleeding.  They diagnosed me with Luteal Phase Defect. Pretty much, it's a problem women have that can cause early miscarriages or problems getting pregnant.  So, with that said, Julian and I decided that now was as good as time as any to start trying.  That was in July.  We were going to wait until September, but what is two months? Anyway, so first shot, and we are pregnant.  I woke up this morning (our 4 year anniversary) and took a test! PREGNANT! I feel like I can't get too excited because Luteul Phase Defect can cause miscarriages in the first trimester.  But, I am still thrilled to see that 'Pregnant' sign on the test.
How far along: 4 weeks and 2 days
Weight gain or loss: 0 as of right now :)  The doctor weighed my in NYC when I went in for some tests for my heart and I was 108 then.  We will see at my first appointment what I am.
How I feel:   I started waking up to pee in the middle of the night last week, so I was sure I was pregnant then.  But, that's not a sure-fire way to tell.  So I wouldn't let myself be convinced.  I feel bloated, thats abou tit. But, that just means my body is doing what it is meant to do so I will take it!! If cravings in the first couple days are any indication (lol), I want salty fries and burgers and chicken tacos.  Mostly, I am craving avocados.
Telling people: We were going to my parents house to drop Eloise off so we could go out
to dinner to celebrate our anniversary as well as this tiny little baby
growing inside of me.  My grandma ended up being there, and even though
she's queen blabbermouth, we told them. It was too perfect they were all
there at one time.  Obviously, they are super excited. We leave for VA this week, so we will be telling Julian's family then.  I am going to try to do something cute to incorporate Eloise for telling my brother and sister but I just can't come up with anything that Eloise will sit still long enough for.  Besides family, I will tell everyone else after the sonogram in mid-September.
Gender: My grandma wants Eloise to have a sister and my dad already predicted a boy. When I ask Eloise she says 'girl'.  I reallyyyyy think it's a boy.  We will find out in about 16 weeks :)
We toyed with the idea of not finding out but we just can't do it.  We loved everything about being pregnant with Eloise, and I wouldn't change one thing.  I loved knowing I had a little girl in my belly.  So, we will be finding out for sure. I think it also helped Julian (and myself) to bond while I'm pregnant.
Due Date: April 23, 2012 according to all the websites.
Worries: The only thing I am worried about is making sure this baby sticks! I also started worrying about how Eloise will do with not being an only child. Obviously that's hard for any child, but I also think NOT having a sibling would be worse!
What I am loving: That excited feeling of being pregnant! It is such a cool feeling. I am really looking forward to my first couple of dr's appointments and seeing a heartbeat.
My first doctor appointment is September 4th -- the first day of school for teachers.  I have the first sonogram and the first appointment already scheduled as well. Both in mid-September.  I will start telling people after those appointments.
I am just feeling so immensely blessed.  Prayer has so much power it is unbelievable.  I prayed that I would be a first grade teacher, and it happened within the month.  I prayed we would get pregnant quickly, and first cycle, boom.  God is good :)

8.29.2012

Eloise is 21 months!

Eloise is a full blown kid! She talks all the time and can tell me anything she wants to. She loves to wear "pity desses" - pretty dresses. She likes her hair in a bow and to wear nikes. She loves bike rides with her daddy and playing at the park.



She is currently really into Peter Pan/tinker bell and Rio. She can say the alphabet and count to ten (with help on 4 and 5). Her favorite animal is a duck I think and her favorite colors are yellow and purple. She loves climbing on EVERYTHING and calling herself a monkey. If I ask her what her name is, she'll say 'Eloise'.


She likes/needs her sleep and can get cranky if she didn't get enough sleep at night. She sleeps with a blanket but only the princess blanket that my mom made her. She won't accept any other blanket. She loves bubbles in her bath and playing with play doh and stickers. She loves animal crackers, raisins and red grapes. She is not motivated by food and still does not love to eat. She will eat when she's hungry but if she isn't hungry forget it. She can drink water out of a big girl glass (no top) without spilling and she sits on our stools. She refuses boosters and her high chair.


She tells me when she has to go number two but we are still far from potty training. She doesn't get it yet. Plus whenever I take her diaper off she asks for her 'dipa'. She has mentioned she wants Minnie underwear but she doesn't know that means using the potty. She wears a 4/5 in shoes and puts her hands together and head down when it's time to pray. She also says "I love Jesus".



She likes to practice somersaults and jumping. She still is shy and takes a while to warm up. She hates to share and needs practice in that area. She can identify a circle and tries to draw one. She loves drawing with sidewalk chalk and says bless you when someone sneezes (sometimes). She also says please and thank you with prompting. She still faces backwards in the car and likes to sing Itsy bitsy and bibbidi boppiti boo. She is still in size 3 diapers but next box we buy will be 4! Finally!


That's my all about my angel at 21 months

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8.06.2012

Ellie says...

Here are some of the phrases that Eloise is saying lately. This is the stuff I hope I never forget.
*When Julian is with us and walks away, either a phone call or to go to the bathroom, Eloise will look around and say, "Where daddy go?" It's her first sentence and she will do it for other people as well (Nan, Nini, Gigi).
* She will grab a bag or purse and say "bye bye Mommy". I'll ask her where she's going as she is opening the front door (thank goodness she can't open the storm door yet) and she will reply, "daddy work".
She likes to go in and out of the slider and say "inside, outside" over and over again.
When she dances she likes to say "erina" which means ballerina.
She says "sorry mommy" (or duke or daddy) when she bumps into me.
If someone is being funny and making her laugh she'll say "silly Nan" or pop or mommy.
She knows every princess and insists on naming them in pictures and getting anything with princesses on them when we are out.
Snow white is o white
Cinderella is Cinna
Aurora is Rora
Tiana is Iana
Belle is beastbelle
Ariel is ia which is also how she says Olivia
When something is dark or loud she will tell me " I scared"
If she is whining for something and I'm trying to figure out what she wants and I say "do you want goldfish?" instead of saying yes she says ok, like I just came up with the idea when in reality she was pointing and trying to tell me for 3 minutes she wants goldfish.
When she is hungry she says "I eat"

She can identify and name yellow, black, blue, and purple.
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7.26.2012

Things I am really into right now...

1. Synergy drinks at Whole Foods


Not a lot of calories for a healthy, yummy drink. So good. I'm always trying to find something to spice up my water and coffee boring-ness. This does it and I don't feel super bad about it. To bad it's like $4-$5 a bottle.

2. Julian's Henna tattoo. Ha!


Actually, it's Sons of Anarchy that I'm into. We have been watching all the seasons on Netflix. But at the Point Pleasant jazz and blues festival, Julian wanted to look more "Sam Crow" (a Sons of Anarchy member) so he got a tattoo that washes off. He makes me laugh. And I'm glad he chose a henna tattoo over getting a real one or a motorcycle.

3. Being a first grade teacher! After coming back from a year off for maternity leave, I was put in second grade. I really enjoyed teaching 2nd and felt like I could move up a grade if it was possible. Well, a fifth grade position opened and there were rumors that's where I was going. Thankfully, prayers were answered and I'm not moving to fifth. I am still a first grade teacher and I couldn't be happier about it. My spiritual gift has nothing to do with 11 year olds. Or lattice multiplication. Of that I am sure.

4. My misto sprayer!



You just fill your sprayer with whatever type of oil you use- and pump. No more Pam for me!! And since you shouldn't heat up olive oil, this helps with using other oils.

5. Life Chapel - our church is beyond amazing and I feel so totally at home when I am there. We spend a lot of time with our church/at church with all the activities we have been a part of and I'm so blessed for the new friendships that have formed! Between softball, softball parties, VBS, meetings for young life, mens morning meetings, etc Julian and I have spent a lot of our time there.

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7.21.2012

VBS, visitors and sickies.

This past week and a half has been nuts. Saturday night, Eloise was wheezing and coughing so badly that we eventually took her to the hospital.  Thankfully, the hospital was dead and we got right in.  I was so worried about my little girl.  She was diagnosed with croup and we were told to give her baby motrin and do the breathing treatments.  We followed up with our doctor and she said that it had gotten worse. (Sick baby = no sleep for anyone).  It was a really bad couple of days, but we made it out and now she is practically perfect again :) I am sure she got it from the Atlantic Club nursery because that is really the only other place we go that has a ton of kids in it.  So we won't be dropping her off there anymore. I know that getting sick builds their immunity, but seeing your child sick is the worst thing. I am going to avoid it at all costs.
This was only Eloise's second time being sick.  She had the same sort of thing (not as bad) when she was 6 months old.  Croup and such runs in Julian's family (he had it bad as a child, his dad had it bad as a child).  I really hope it is not something I have to do again.  I am just so blessed she is better :)
Not only was Eloise sick, but Julian's family (his mom, his sister, and our nieces and nephew) all visited   for the week.  They came Monday and left Friday.  That made things even more hectic.  It was a nice visit but things were crazy.
VBS was also this SAME week and I had to be at the church every night, Monday through Friday, from 5:30-8:00. Which meant I had to rely on either Gigi, Keri, and/or Julian to give Eloise her medicine, take her temperature and give her a breathing treatment before bed.  I know they are all capable but I was kinda bummed I couldn't be there to take care of her. Oh well.  VBS was amazing and all the kids had a fabulous time.  I took Kate and Olivia with me and I think they enjoyed singing the songs and hearing about some of the 'champions' of the bible.  I think even Eloise now knows the dances/songs because we were always practicing :)

whew. I am hoping this upcoming week is really boring :)


7.05.2012

Sweet Sweet Summertime!

Sweet Sweet Summertime you are going by too fast! I can't believe how time is flying by! Anyway, I am truly enjoying my life these days.  I am reminded constantly of all the wonderful things I am thankful for and I feel so totally blessed beyond belief.  Eloise is having a great summer and I love watching her grow up to be a kid. (She only has a tad bit of baby left in her).

Our summer so far (and probably until it is over) has been go go go.  Ellie girl takes 3 hour naps and I have to go in and wake her because we having something else to go go go to.  Poor thing. We have been going to the Atlantic Club and having fun in the pool, my mom's house for the beach, and just random field trips (the teacher in me calls outings 'field trips').  We went to Sesame Place which I think Eloise was a bit young for.  We thought it was a bust, but then came the Elmo Rock N' Roll show. Now, Ernie used to be Eloise's favorite. OH, but not anymore.  Elmo has won over Eloise's heart and now  pretty much 75% of our conversations these days have to do with Elmo.  She loves him.  And the show was no exception. SHE LOVED IT! I haven't seen her smile and dance so much. It made the trip totally worth it. Julian was even chosen to go on stage and be a backup dancer for Elmo.  It was really cute and seeing her that happy almost made me cry. (ok, maybe a tear or two escaped, but soon the laughter tears came due to watching Julian shake it with Sesame Street characters).

The only thing I have been worrying about lately is when I am going to hear what grade I'll be teaching next year.  A second grade teacher retired, and they are supposedly adding an additional 5th grade teacher to our school.  Also, today I just heard that one of our kindergarten teachers moved schools.  I hope I hear soon.  I am really blessed that I have a great job AND I get summers off to spend with Eloise.  I feel really lucky to have chosen this profession.  But, that doesn't make my patience any better :)

I also wanted to document some of the things Eloise is saying these days.

"I love daddy"
"I love boats" (it sounds like boots---she took her first boat ride and I am pretty sure it wasn't her favorite thing, but my dad taught her to say "I love boats" anyway)
"Beastbelle" is her term for Beauty and the Beast and it sounds like baseball.  If you don't know her well, you think she is asking you to turn on the game
"Beach"
"WaWa" for water
"Snack"
"Night-Night Mommy"










6.10.2012

June Happenings

Nothing too exciting has been happening in these parts.  The beginning of June was pretty hectic! Julian's family stayed for about a week and although thats fun, it is also exhausting! It was nice to have breakfast and dinner made for me almost every day, though!

We attended SummerFest and had a blast! It is one of the things Julian and I look forward to every year, and it didn't disappoint.  I can't wait until Eloise is just slightly older so she can really enjoy it! She fell asleep while we were there in the morning. I guess she was bored. But, I don't think anyone else was bored!


But she partied in the afternoon! We sat and listened to the reggae band and she danced and climbed and ran.  She didn't want to slow down to take a family picture, but I forced her to, and she wasn't happy about it.



I took my last personal day and we were supposed to go to Sesame Place. But, it was raining that morning, so we quickly changed plans.  We drove into Philly and visited the Please Touch Museum which was very fun! I really love getting out and doing things with Eloise. She is at such a fun age!


Besides that, the school year is quickly coming to an end, and I am excited about having the summer off!  We have nothing really going on.  Her swim class has been over for a while, and music class recently ended, and her final gym class is this week.  I signed her up for a toddler mommy and me class, so that is all we are up to this summer.It should be a relaxing, low key, wonderful summer.

She had her 18 month doctors appointment and she is finally above 1% in weight! I am beyond happy about this! She is 50% head, 25% height, and 10% weight! She is 32" and 21 lbs 10 oz. She has so many words its unbelievable.  I wouldn't have thought her vocabulary would have exploded this much. She can pretty much *try* to say anything if we prompt her.  Here are the words she says that I can think of right now:
-Mommy
-Daddy
-Duke
-Gigi
-Papa
-Nan
-Pop
-NiNi (For my sister)
-ReRe (For Keri)
-Ia (pronounced eee-ya for Olivia)
-Jesus
-Please
-Cheese
-Yes
-No
-Bubble
-Rora (for Aurora, her favorite princess)
-Away (for go away, I don't want your help)
-up
-go
-peas
-more
-teeth
-potty
-Ball
-Bike
-Beach
-Water
-bagel
-Yum
-baby
-shoes
-ME (as in it's mine)
-she can do the sounds of the following when asked: horse, cow, dog, cat, baby (wa wa), elephant (weird?), sheep, lion and bear which are both ROAR.
-beep beep (for excuse me)



I am probably missing some, but that is all I can think of at the moment.

We leave the day after school is out and we are spending some time in Virginia.  It'll be a nice visit. It is Kate's 8th birthday and they are doing a carnival. It'll be fun to be there and celebrate with her. Oh, sweet summertime :)


5.23.2012

Spring and Summer List

This is the official list of things that Julian and I want to accomplish this spring and summer. We know it is probably impossible to do it all, but we are hoping to do most of it. We already crossed out a couple! But, even if we don't get to do everything on our list, we can keep it for next summer. I am definitely a list sorta girl!! For real, though, I feel like summer flies by! If I don't have some goals in mind, the time will just slip on by! Ok here is the official Barker 2012 spring and summer to list that's hanging on our fridge:
(Bolded means accomplished)

* Attend a Blue Claws Game (we are planning to go on July 15)
* Attend Point Pleasant Environment Day (we did this in April)
* Visit Sesame Place
* Storybook Land in Little Egg Harbor
* Go to Jenkinson's Aquarium (we went in March)
* Go to the Boardwalk
* Go to the Splash Park in Colts Neck
* Take Duke and Ellie to the Dog Beach



* Swim in the new Arzonico pool
* Have Eloise dedicated at our church
*Hoffmans! (We do this way too much)
* Volunteer for VBS (went to the first meeting and I will be teaching 1st and 2nd)
* Go to the Please Touch Museum
* Beach!!!
* Picnic at Riverfront Park
* Summerfest!!
* Visit the Popcorn Park Zoo (went earlier this year)
* visit the Philadelphia and/or Cape May Zoo
* Hershey Park
* Rita's Italian Ice
* Six Flags Jungle Safari
* Peach Picking
*Easter Egg Hunt
* Attend the Memorial Day Parade on Bridge Ave.
*Bike Rides




So, that is 25 things on our list.  We have accomplished 8 so far! We have a date picked out for some of the things on that list, so we should be able to accomplish most of it! I love summer and can't wait to enjoy every second of it :)

5.17.2012

18 school days left

I.can.not. believe that there are only 18 more days of school until SUMMER!! I am so excited.

Anyway, lots of things have been going on.  I had my first night away from Eloise. Yes, there have been times someone else has put her to bed because I was out.  But, I have never, slept away.  It went smoothly, and we had a good night away.  Eloise has been giving Julian and myself hard times about bedtime lately (depending on how over tired she is) So I figured she would be giving my mom a hard time, too.  She let her stay up way past her bedtime playing with Pop and Aunt NiNi in the basement and was over tired and pitched a fit about bed.  But, she eventually fell asleep and all was good :)

Once I heard she was sleeping, I felt more relaxed. I was able to enjoy the wedding and my vodka tonics a little more! It was nice to be away for the night and we even celebrated Mother's day with  Kelly and Jeff at Ihop the next morning (how classy).  It was nice to sit and talk with them and get some pancakes and bacon that I didn't have to make myself. We took our time and probably didn't get home until around 11:30-12:00.  We didn't do anything really special for Mother's day because we were all hungover and cranky (Ellie girl included...a too much fun hangover). We went to Sea Bright for dinner and saw Mike and Jen. It was a nice day.

Besides that, Eloise's vocabulary has really blown up.  I am amazed at the things she says.  She is putting together two word sentences and I am sure she is going to grow up to be one of those kids who thinks she's the smartest thing EVER because I keep boosting her little ego about it ;).  She will see my shoes on the stairs and say "Mama Shoes".  She refers to herself as Ellie (totes adorbs) and can name people by looking at pictures.  Any kid her age or younger is still "baby" and Duke is her best friend BY FAR.  Their relationship has really blossomed and she'll find a ball and entertain herself and Duke for a good 10 minutes throwing it for him and then making him drop it for her so she can run around with it and he chases her, she laughs hysterically to where I think she can't breathe and then throws it again. 

Julian, Eloise, and I joined the church down the road from us and we are so blessed that we found it when we did.  I just feel we are exactly where we need to be (as far as church is concerned).  It is a small church but growing by leaps and bounds and I am super psyched that we get to be apart of the growth.  There are a lot of young families and the pastor has a gift for speaking.  The music is good and the people are so incredibly nice.  Julian joined the softball team and has really been enjoying it.  He has become friends with the guys and they are all around the same age with young kids.  I am now on nursery rotation and will sit down in the nursery with the kiddo's about every 5-6 weeks.  I am also planning on volunteering for Vacation Bible School, so we will see where my teaching skills can come in handy this summer.  I am really excited to not only be a part of our church more, but it's really helped us become more apart of our community.  We are feeling more connected. We always liked living in Point Pleasant, but joining Life Chapel and having a baby, and doing things with her, really makes you LOVE your town. I love that I can walk to my park and that everyone bikes everywhere.  I love that they are putting a frozen yogurt place down the street and that Hickory Hog is now closer. We are really learning to appreciate more about what we have and not worrying about what we don't have. 

Summer weekends are booking up fast and I can't even believe it.  Time flies.  I might need a new planner with all the use it's been getting lately. 

(Pictures are giving me issues...they're coming later)

4.28.2012

Nothing Much

I have nothing important to talk about but I wanted to update some things for my own sake.  Eloise just turned 17 months and her vocabulary has really started to blossom.  I was worried (typical first time mom) about her reaching the 15 words by 18 months.  Julian and I listed all the words she says this morning and she has 15 for sure.  She doesn't pronounce every sound of every word but she can say most of the words and we know what she's saying.
Eloise's Words 17 months old:
-Mommy
-Daddy
-Gigi
-Papa
-Nan
-Ni Ni  (for Aunt Nikki)
-Dee (Duke)
-Beee (Beach)
-Ball
-Uh-Oh
-No
-Shoe
-Peas (she uses this in context for peas and also for please)
-Ba (Bath)
-Hi
-Bye
-WOAH
-Shhhh
-Woof
-Baaa (What a sheep says)
-Meow (what a cat says)

Besides that, Eloise has started giving us a hard time about bedtime.  She understands now that when it's bedtime, that it means no more playing.  She run and hides and yells 'NOOO' and tries all the tricks in the book to not go to sleep.  My mom says get used to it.  Soon she'll be asking for one more story, or another glass of water, or anything to avoid bedtime. At least that is what we used to do as kids.

Our friend is getting married in a couple weekends and it will be my first night away from Eloise.  I know that seems crazy (17 months and not one night away). My mom has decided to stay at our house to make life easier (plus then we don't have to worry about Duke).  I am looking forward to it and can't wait to see how Eloise does.


4.12.2012

Spring Break!

Spring Break has been going so fast! It needs to slow way down so I can enjoy it more!! Julian's parents were here from Thursday until Tuesday, so that might have something to do with it!

We didn't do much on Friday except get Eloise's picture with the Easter Bunny:



5 seconds after this picture was taken she was flipping out....

Saturday we woke up early and had breakfast at The Kitchen Witch before the Easter Egg Hunt. We walked about 30 minutes on the beach from my parent's house to where it was held and that was the most fun part! The egg hunt was pretty busy, and on the beach, so they weren't really 'hidden'. Either way it was good memories.

Easter Sunday was perfect!
The Easter Bunny spoiled Eloise and she was really cute opening her gifts. She got some puzzles and a bible coloring book and crayons and bubbles and some chocolate. She eventually caught on to finding the eggs around the house and liked doing that!




Church was super amazing and Eloise stayed in the nursery the whole time! When I picked her up (1 hr and 15 minutes later) the lady in charge said she won the best behaved award! I'm such a proud momma! After church we went to the park and enjoyed the day. Later that afternoon we went to my parents and had dinner. It was a great day!


Everyone at Easter spoiled her, too! My cousins got her two more princess dolls, my aunt got her bubbles and a tinkerbell purse with a tinkerbell in it and my grandmother got her stuffed animals and some chocolate chip cookies. And of course my mom got her some old school sesame street dvds, sidewalk chalk and candy! She was also introduced to m&m's and had a super sugar high that night. No fun.
She loves her dolls:


In other news, my uncle who had the heart transplant last year needed a kidney transplant. Luckily, my other uncle ended up being a perfect match and they are currently in recovery and the kidney is working! Yay!

Today I got to go to music class with Eloise and Julian! I felt like I was in that Up All Night episode where the working mom goes to the music class and dies everything wrong haha! It was really cute to see her little friends and do their normal Thursday routine.

The rest of spring break is going to be low key. I have more dr's appointments than ever before (taking advantage of the week off). We have Sesame Street Live at the State Theatre tomorrow and that's about it. I hope Eloise likes it!

I'm ready to begin relaxing!



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4.03.2012

Catching UP

I haven't blogged in a while (darn work gets in the way of the important things).  I figured I would do a random catch up....

* Things are going well. Besides my house is in a constant state of MESSINESS, I don't mind working.  Princesses are everywhere.  I'm not joking.  Eloise lines them up on things and knocks them down, and then takes them in her bookbag to the next room and lines them up again.  I have stepped on Pocahontas and Mulan more times than I can count. She also is a fan of carrying all her toys everywhere she goes. I hope she isn't becoming a hoarder.

* I am pretty much done getting Eloise's Easter basket together.  We got her some PJ's, a coloring book and crayons, a couple puzzles, and a farm animal noise toy that I think I had when I was younger.  We also are getting her a little kid table and chairs for upstairs.  She has one in the basement, but I think she needs another and IKEA has one for like $20. Her big gift for Easter is we are taking her to see Sesame Street Live next week.  She loves Elmo and Ernie and I think she is going to get a kick out of the show! Even though putting the tickets in her basket is useless because that means nothing to a 1 year old, I might still do it. Weird?

* I was reading my friend's blog and she updated on her son's height and weight (Hi Noah!) and Eloise is pretty much exactly the same size as him (30 inches tall and 19.7lbs). He is 6 MONTHS YOUNGER than her.

*We joined the Atlantic Club for the summer.  I am so glad they have a summer membership! It is pretty expensive but you get the pool (indoor and outdoor), a gym membership, and the kid's club which offers 3 hours of babysitting a day. We aren't going on a summer vacation this summer (boo) so we figured this money would have gone towards that. They serve alcohol at the pool. We plan on spending most days there. At first I was nervous that Eloise wouldn't like the kid's club babysitting thing.  But, Julian took a tour before he signed us up and they put her in the kid's club and she cried when she left.  She didn't care about being there, she just wanted to keep playing and not leave.  good sign.

* I saw Hunger Games and I LOVED IT. I can't wait to see it again.  I read all the books twice and I might go another round with them.  SO IN LOVE.  I also am excited to read Divergent and 50 Shades of Grey.  I have heard great things about both but right now I am trying to finish my bookclub book. I have a list of books I really want to read!!

* We have tons of things to do this weekend and my in-laws are visiting! We have an Easter Egg Hung on the beach and getting Eloise's picture with the Easter Bunny.  We also wanted to dye eggs with her.  We will see what we accomplish :)

*Eloise's new words are: Hi, Bye-Bye, Shoe, and bibbidi-boppidi-boo (which sounds more like bipbopboo).  She also has started shaking her head yes or no.  "do you want ice cream?" head shakes yes. "do you want your diaper changed?" head shakes no.  It's awesome to see her start doing this! What a great age! Oh, and she will use a running start to hug.  It's the coolest thing. she runs right into your arms for a big hug. LOVE IT.

3.20.2012

Back to work!

I've been back to work for a week and I wanted to update about it. It has gone really well. Wayyyy easier than I thought it would be.

My back to work schedule starts at 6 when Julian and I wake up. I'm ready and gone by 7-7:15. Then I spend the day with some really great 2nd graders. I walk out the door at 3:05 and I'm home around 3:30. My mom has her three days a week at my house and Julian watches her the other two. They have a rule that they must send me pics throughout the day....





















That's all I have time for these days :)

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3.10.2012

15 months and eating

I want to use this as a reference for my next toddler. She is totally growing out of being a picky eater! I'm so excited! She now eats what we are eating (mostly because I make the family what I know she likes. If I do make something 'new' and she doesn't like it, I make her Annies.)

Eloise loves:
Apples
Bananas
Pears
Grapes
Peas
Yogurt
Smoothies
Ice cream - vanilla and chocolate
Anything chocolate including cookies, cakes, brownies
Kidney beans
Ground turkey
Cheese
Baked ziti
Pasta with marinara sauce
Almond butter and jelly sandwich
Grilled cheese and squash sandwich
Cocoa almond butter
Macaroni and cheese with cheddar
Turkey chili
Sweet potatoes
Fried
Sweet potato fries
Chicken nuggets
Pizza on a tortilla
Pieces of corn sometimes (?)
Bagel with cream cheese
Instant oatmeal that's flavored
Chestnut
Kashi berry blossoms
Earths best snack granola bars
Buttery crackers
Hummus
Popsicles (she licks)
Any sort of chip I've had that she begs for


Eloise doesn't like:
Pesto pasta
Blueberries
Meatloaf
Pieces of tomato
Real pizza
Mashed potatoes or pieces of potatoes
Broccoli

I am so thrilled her 'likes' are so much more than her 'dislikes'! I can't wait to see what else she likes!!





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3.05.2012

busy bee

Now that Eloise is as such a fun, social age, we are beginning to get her involved in more programs.  She definitely is shy, and takes a while to warm up.  But, within an hour or so, she becomes a little busy bee.  She likes to entertain the crowd (she sings and dances with her princess or does funny things and laughs at herself). She is starting to understand playing with friends, even though sharing isn't her forte.  I am sure she will learn.

As of right now she goes to Swim Class on Monday mornings and that's all.  I am going back to work in exactly 2 weeks (!!) and then my mom will be taking her.  I am even thinking about signing her up for the next spring session of swim lessons.  She usually enjoys it (today she cried the whole time, who knows why?) and I think it will be good for her to constantly be in the pool.  Then every Tuesday, while I am working, Julian is going to drop Eloise off to my mom at the Barnes and Noble in the Monmouth mall and they have toddler story time at 10:30.  Then my mom is going to drive her up north and do lunch with her great grandmother. Probably after a quick trip to the Disney store haha. Everyone is so excited about Tuesdays up north, because all my aunts and uncles will probably be dropping everything they have to do, to go eat lunch with her.  Wednesdays are just regular days at home with her Nan (my mom).  They can go to the park and play in the playroom. Thursday and Friday's are Nan's days off.  So Julian is in charge.  Every thursday from March 29th-May 3rd, Eloise and her daddy are going to music class.  It is 45 minutes long and they sing and dance and play instruments.  I am surprised that Julian agreed to do this, but he seemed happy to join in and take her to toddler music class. HA! I hope he takes pictures because I would LOVE to see how this works. Friday's are days at home with daddy.  I am hoping that Eloise and Julian can take me out to lunch on Friday's once I get settled.

So that is Miss Busy Bee's schedule for the Spring. I am sad to know that I won't be there every second to play with her but I am even more happy she has fun things to do every week!

I am also very excited for summer.  I have a list of about 15 things we want to do this summer (dorwood splash park, sesame place, hershey park, camden aquarium, please touch museum, philadelphia zoo, etc.) and also we are going to see if there are some more mommy and me programs we can join.  I am interested in Mommy and Me gymnastics. I found a program at Devlin gymnastics for her age group that is pretty close to our house. They also have an art and music class at the Atlantic club and maybe some more swim classes.

I can't wait to watch Eloise experience all these fun, new things! Hopefully she will enjoy most of it :)

3.04.2012

turkey chili

Eloise has a few 'go to's' as far as dinner is concerned: Mac and Cheese (it used to be only Annie's but she has really branched out. She'll eat any mac and cheese as long as it is made with cheddar. She also likes peas in it. I have come to terms with her picky eating), pizza on a tortilla, trader joe's chicken nuggets and sweet potato fries, and turkey chili with beans from the slow cooker.  She really enjoys this recipe and I am so happy to make it once a week for her. I changed a few things but this is the original recipe from my slow cooker cookbook.

CHILI WITH BEANS

1 lb each: lean ground beef, ground turkey (I only use the turkey, but I am sure it will be good with ground beef, too)
2 large onions, chopped (It depends how many onions I have, on how many I put in )
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
2 cans (10 1/2 oz/each) tomato sauce
2 cans kidney beans, rinsed, drained
2 TBS chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cook ground beef and turkey in lightly greased large skillet over medium heat until browned, about 10 minutes, crumbling meat with a fork. Combine meat and remaining ingredients, except salt and pepper, in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. season with salt and pepper.

boo-ya. Easy peasy rice and cheeseyyyyy and yummy. Even Miss Priss agrees.

Now go put those ingredients in a slow cooker and waste your time on pinterest.

2.27.2012

Lent

Growing up Catholic, I usually gave something up for lent. It was usually chocolate or soda or gum. The real important stuff. I think one year I gave up cursing. I should have given up midriff tees. Why didn't anyone say anything??

Then, during college, I realized how 'not catholic' I was. I went to CCD, I went to church, and I still didn't know much. I had become Catholic in culture and not religion. So not what I wanted.

Now, I am a Christian. I know stories of the bible, I know prayers and I know Jesus.

This is all besides the point.

Anyway....I haven't given anything up for lent in years because I'm not Catholic (in culture or religion). But, I was thinking of starting up again. I mean sacrificing something for 40 days can really remind you each day what He did for us.

Then, I found this blogpost. Perfect.

Just what I was thinking

So, with that said, I am giving up Facebook for the rest of lent.  I wanted to pick something that I spend too much time doing.  No, every time I want to check Facebook, it will remind me to what sort of sacrifice was made for me.  Shouldn't be so difficult in comparison.


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2.25.2012

out and about

 I have about 24 days before I go back to work.  I was so worried about how I would feel about this big transition in our lives.  Surprisingly, I am not too worried or anxious about it.  If anything, I am just ready to start so I can stop thinking about what it will be like.  Of course, any changes in your life will cause some tension.  I am a little worried about how the dynamics will change, but Julian and I are both ready for the change.  The best part is that I am easing my way back into working full time.  I work for about three months (with a one week spring break in there! yay!) and then I am off for the summer.  It makes life a tad bit easier knowing that.  

Since work starts so soon, Julian and I decided to have a week full of fun outings.  Since the weather was so nice this past week, we took advantage and had each day planned out so we weren't just sitting around or doing our usual park outing.  On Monday, we had her first swim class, and then took her to Barnes and Noble to pick out a book and get a cookie.   On Tuesday, we drove up north to visit with my grandmother (Eloise's great grandma June).  It is so nice visiting and seeing my grandmother with my daughter. It is pretty amazing.  My grandma really appreciates us visiting and enjoys little miss so much.  We should really go and visit at least once a month. On Wednesday, we went to the popcorn park zoo.  It was a beautiful day out and since it was the middle of the week, there weren't many people there.  We took our Maclaran Umbrella Stroller because it's lightweight and easy.  But, little did we know, the whole place is filled with sand.  We will definitely bring the Bugaboo next time! Eloise really enjoyed  the animals and I think she liked the bears the most.  

 Julian and Eloise in the Reptile House....not Julian's favorite.

 Mommy and Eloise looking at the Camel and the Llama's.

 Eloise pointing to the monkey!

 Feeding the crazy goat!

 Hi, Mr. Monkey!

 Comparing beards.

 Waving to the animals.

 So tired after all the roaring he did.

Boo Boo the Bear.


What I really like about the Popcorn Park Zoo is the fact that all the animals there are rescued.  So you get to read their stories about how they got to come to the zoo and why they wouldn't be able to be re-released into the wild.  It's a sweet little zoo and we will surely be back!

On Thursday, we took her to the Point Pleasant Boardwalk and we visited the Aquarium.  I think she enjoyed the aquarium more than the zoo, because you feel like you are closer to the animals.  It was fun!
 It was a beautiful day at the boardwalk!

 Hanging with the fish.
 Daddy and Ellie
 What a cute seal!

 Sitting still for a picture...

 So happy because she just ate some funnel cake!

Beating Julian at Skee Ball!

*Then, on Friday we went to Nan and Pop's house and hung out there.  We had such a busy week, it will be nice to have a relaxing weekend at home! This fun-filled weekend gets me excited for what this summer is going to bring us! Lots of outings I hope :)