Lissy Bear-Oh

We managed to give our little darling our cold :( SO SO SO sad to listen to her cough...but she is acting fine and is as active as ever so its not too bad. And luckily she didn't get my stomach bug, thank goodness for small favors!!

Nighttime has been so so easy now that she doesn't have to be fed and cuddled to sleep. I miss snuggling her but being able to cuddle for a little bit then tell her its bedtime and put her in the crib has been amazing! This semester is going to be so much better because I can get some work done after she goes down at like 8:15. I used to get stuck holding her and picking her back up and making Jason be super quiet till she finally fell asleep and got transferred into her crib, sometimes wouldn't get down until 9:30 or so...Naps a still a bit harder but we have gotten them down to about 10 minutes. She stands in her crib and plays for a few minutes then falls asleep.

My second week of 'getting my ass back' went well, I averaged 172.4 (which was kinda low from one day of being 169!!) But I feel good and should be able to do the bike sit ups and push ups 6 days this week. Next week will be trying with starting back to school, but Ill take it as it comes I guess...

I'm having so much fun looking at baby stuff for my new niece due in April! Just looking at the baby things is making my baby fever skyrocket! I need to wait until August/September to try again for a baby so its due in the summer and I don't miss another semester at school but its getting hard to wait. I'm sure once the new babe is here will make it even worse haha.

After the cousins left from a visit she pooped out in this position, poor girl didn't even have enough energy to lay down haha

This is our 'go get the mail' outfit :)

I normally hate diaper pictures but her new beret was just too damn cute to not get many pictures of...

Sleep sleep sleep

And I mean me! I got hit first with a silly head cold that turned into a stomach flu :( I couldn't eat, couldn't drink, couldn't move without feeling like throwing up. Luckily I only did that once, but today I feel normal again!! I hate getting sick :(

Alyssa seems to be doing fine with being put in her crib awake at night, but naps are still kinda  a struggle, it takes about 15 minutes of screaming bloody murder. SO sad to listen to...

My first week of 'getting back in shape' was kinda off put by not eating anything for a few days and not working out like I had planned. My first weeks average weight is 175.5 (which is EXACTLY the same as day 1...way to not lose anything) but so far this week the average is 172.8, so hopefully it goes down after my body gets back to normal.

This is how Bentley protects Alyssa from falling backwards, they are 2 peas in a pod, BFFs :)

Our New cat Weston. He picked Alyssa from the very beginning, we wanted an all white cat to go with Dexter being all black, and we went into the big cat colony at the SPCA cuz there were a few white cats. The second we set Liss down Weston came running up to her and rubbed all over, he is so social and so sweet, and has laid claim to sleeping by Jason's head all night. I have converted my husband into a cat lover!

I don't know if this video works but its funny, cat lasers aren't just for cats haha...

I think we made it

So sleep training might be crossed off our list. The last couple nights she has gone down cranky and restless and fussed for less than 5 minutes! Naps take about 10 minutes. Its amazing to be able to just kiss her goodnight and leave the room. She is fine. Feels good. Im hoping with the next kids that we can start earlier, it was just near impossible to try to cry-it-out living with family. I didnt want to disrupt their life any more than we already had by living there!

Ok, dirty diaper time...NASTY!

Sleep Training Day 3

So it was a pretty cranky day, Liss was super tired all day, she took a 4 hour nap and a 1.5 hour nap. So by 6 she was showing signs of being sleepy again, all though WAY too early for me to put her down. We did a bath at 5, dinner at 7, diaper and jammies at 730...and then she wouldn't calm down and wouldn't take a bottle, so at 810 I gave her kisses and put her to bed. Oh yea, 2 minutes of some fussy/whining and she was out for the count until 6 this morning. She went back down at 7, she fell asleep in my lap in the rocker but woke up when I put her in the crib (that always happens, I used to pick her up and try again in the rocker) this morning I left her there, turned out the light (cuz its actually still a bit dark at 7 now) and went back into our room. She fussed on and off for 15 minutes then went back to sleep until 1030! No screaming bloody murder, just some fussing. I'm a fan of this method!!

Sleep Training day 2

Well so far this hasn't been so bad. I'm glad babies don't remember the torture their moms bring to them by forcing them to learn how to fall asleep on their own!! We put Alyssa down at 8:04, she cried. I went in about every 5 minutes to put her back on her back (she stands up as soon as I put her down) and give her a few kisses and walk out. By 8:19 she was asleep :) She did wake up at 11 though and I went in, gave her some bottle and put her back to bed, I was crawling back into bed at 11:07. I guess I should have just let her cry but lets face it, I just didn't want to. She woke up at 630, which is NOT my favorite time of the day...by 8 she was ready to go back down for her morning nap. I put her in the crib at 8 and she played quietly for 10 minutes then cried for 10. I picked her up (bad mom!!) and gave her a bit more bottle. Put her back in the crib at 824 and she was out by 827. I may not be doing this like 'they' say to but its a learning game and so far I'm impressed with us all (mom, dad and Liss). I guess its time to get on my bike and see if I can get my workout in while she is napping...damn. I hate working out this early!

Sleep Training Day 1

I figured I would keep track of things here so I can look back instead of saying "Oh I think it took 4 months to get her to sleep on her own" . Last night was our first try. I was having a hard time deciding on a 'routine' and all that so I said F it. We don't live our live by a set in stone routine so we are gonna continue what we are doing and just go with it. So we did. Yesterday we drove home from Vacaville and Liss had a bit of an upset tummy so who knows how valid of a try that will be. Anyways, she was getting sleepy at about 830, I gave her a bit more bottle until she had enough then I picked her up and put her in the crib. Awake. SO not what she was expecting. Now, I had some wine to follow through with this night but she cried bloody murder for 25 minutes and passed the heck out. So not too bad. She then woke up normal time at 530 for a bit of bottle and some play time. She fell asleep in my arms but woke up as I put her in the crib. I patted her butt and told her goodnight. She fussed for less than a minute and went to sleep. EASIEST morning so far! And the booger is still sleeping! So, we shall see how long this lasts...I know some nights are gonna be harder than others.

In other news. Gotta lose the baby weight. I can still cal it baby weight cuz she is still a baby, I think you lose that excuse when the kid gets into school. Just saying. So. Day 1. 175.5lbs. Want to be in my normal clothes by my birthday. Would LOVE to be back to 152 (Think Aces game 2009) And i was pretty hot at Tristans wedding too...that was about 157. Ok. I'm done. Carry on.

Happy New Year :)
Well shit...just for fun...how about some resolutions?

1. Lose 20 lbs
2. Put sod in the front yard
3. Get knocked up
4. STAY IN SCHOOL
5. Drink more water
6. Drink less wine
7. Walk the dogs more


That's about it for now. I'm sure Ill think of more to blow off later...

I miss you when youre napping

Babies First Christmas!! Alyssa has became VERY mobile. She likes to crawl into places that she cant get out of haha, like under our bench.

 We had a visit from the in-laws the weekend before Christmas, they brought down Alyssas new Cadilac car seat cuz her chubby butt is about to outgrow her infant bucket. The carseat is super super nice and we are very happy with it. They also brought us my favorite gift! A stationary bike! I have been so upset with my weight and body since baby (who am I kidding, Ive always struggled with it) and it was begining to be very impossible to get any kind of workout in...either too hot for the baby, too cold for the baby, too snowy, baby doesnt nap long enough a workout video...it was getting bad. So now I have no excuses! Last week I did 20-25 minutes at a time and dropped 4lbs! (Gained it all back thanks to Uncle Pats artichoke cheese dip though lol) So Im excited to get this bod back in shape...just in time to get knocked up again ;)

 Alyssa and her best freind Bentley, this is right after she was reaching up to grab the tree skirt and I say "No No!" Thats the look I get right before she bursts out in a big grin.

 Such concentration when crawling :)

 This is how I find her after naps now, I lowered the crib to the 2nd lowest level but Im thinking its gotta go down to the bottom one...such a booger. And so pround of herself!

 Christmas!!

 My dad is such a sucker for his grandbabies, I love seeing them with her and Matty and cant wait to meet the newest cousin in April

 Christmas Eve tuckered Liss out.

 She doesnt quite know what to do with presents though, but watching Keegan and Matty and Lily, I know next year she will be all into it...

 Watching the kids play, I like how much time we all spend on the floor now

 These pictures are so freaking cute!! Gonna need a bigger couch next year!

 Liss helping pick out pirate gifts

 Christmas morning...we were more into it than she was, so much fun now with Alyssa. This holiday season was just amazing! Being home from school and in our own house. It was jus the perfect end to a pretty amazing year.

 The brat found the water dish and helped mom mop the floor with her butt! She just splashed around not caring that she was soaking wet!

 Trying to get Matty to share his new bike!

 Cutest grin all day :) My pumkin butt :)

 ALOT of people in our litle house, we agree that 12 is our max. But it was fun to cook the quiche and prepare for a party at our home. Everyone had a blast watching the kids and Im pretty sure we all needed a nap afterwords.

 Her christmas dress!! This picture was taken about 4 seconds before her meltdown and her 3.5 hour nap!

This last year was simply amazing. I remember back to last year, just finding out we were having a girl, working on new years eve until after midnight. Working until bursting out crying on Superbowl Sunday. Baby shower, moving in with Tristan and Michele, quitting working for 'maternity leave' that never really ended, emergency c section, bringing home baby, no sleep, a hot summer, trying to figure out the whole sleep thing, pool time at Debs, lots and lots of firsts, 1 year anniversary with a 4 month old in Tahoe, New house, sleeping through the night, 2 teeth, crawling, and lots of attitude :) I hate when people get all 'my life is amazing' but I seriously couldnt have asked for a better year. Our family and friends are so supportive and happy. All the kids growing up together, new babies born about every 6 months (which cannot continue!! Im just saying) the similarities in all the babes, I see Lily do things that Alyssa does and its so shocking- Like how do they learn that? Im a lucky mom and wife. My husband is great and is such a good provider, he is my second half and I couldnt imagine having this family with anyone else. My kid is awesome. I know Im gonna screw her up somehow but she is the light of my life. Now if only she doesnt turn into a teenager...