Disagreements....

So, it's probably not surprising that my husband and I don't always see eye to eye. One HUGE example of this would be on the "CIO" (cry-it-out) method. I am COMPLETELY against it, where as he believes it's the ONLY way that Lena will learn to self soothe and sleep through the night.

It's true, Lena is nearly six months old, and still waking every 3-4 hours. **big sigh** As exhausting as this is for me, I feel that if she's waking up and crying out, she must need something, even if it's just me to hold her. I am also convinced that she will outgrow this. Prime example- my parents never did cry it out with me, and I don't need them to come in and rock me to sleep anymore!! :0)

However, I am really beginning to get slap happy with the lack of sleep. The ONLY time I get a little extra sleep (ie and hr or two) is on the weekends when Josh gets up with Lena in the mornings, allowing me to sleep in, or when we are with family, and they get up with Lena in the mornings, allowing me to sleep in. I am still the one, though, that gets up with her during her wakings at night, so while the couple of hrs extra are nice, they still aren't a full 8 hrs straight of peaceful sleep.

So tonight I am going to give an attempt at starting Elizabeth Pantley's "no cry method". I feel that this is the best method for both Lena's and my emotional state. So far, o-k! We layed her down in her crib, and to no avail, were quickly swimming in the sound of horrific crying. We let her cry for a bit, before I went in, picked her up to calm her down, and placed her...awake...back in her crib. I then stood over her humming and gently patting and rubbing her, until she drifted off to dreamland. This is a HUGE feat for us. Usually Lena falls asleep with the bottle in her mouth, and in my attempt to wean her off of that at night, I cut out that comfort feed.

There's not much of an update other than that she's slept peacefully for about the last hour in her crib. Nothing new, she usually goes down after being rocked and sipping on a bottle for 3-4 hours. The toughest part is going to come later when I have to fight my tired eyes at NOT putting her in the bed with us.

I'll let you all know how this works for us. Unfortunately we are going out of town for two weeks on Friday and I HATE the thought that all this work will just go down the drain. But the reality is, we travel and have visitors CONSTANTLY! I am just going to have to put Lena first when we are gone, or have people over and keep to her bedtime routine. Just when we think we get a breakthrough, we have the parents over, or end up at home where people want to hold her till all hours of the night. It's sweet, and I get it, but the truth is if we don't hold on to some sort of normalcy, life is literally HELL when we get home. Why you ask? Because Lena EXPECTS to be held 24/7 after that, and it's just us out here. I love cuddling with my baby, but unfortunately I have to get other things done during the day, like eat, shower, pee occasionally!

So we will see where this attempt at peaceful nights takes us, and again, I will do my best to keep you all updated!

Cooking!

Those of you that know me and Josh, know that we very RARELY eat out. When we do decide to venture out of the comforts of our home, it's usually with the company of friends or family. We are home bodies through and through, that LOVE LOVE LOVE to cook! With the trees beginning to turn and the smell of fall wafting through my home, I've def. been on a roll this week with the home cooked meals. Let's just say, I think Josh will keep me!!

Monday night we got home late from Bowling Green, and decided we should throw something quick together. I had some chicken bites in the freezer and some romaine lettuce. An egg was boiled, bacon microwaved, and buffalo sauce used. It was yummy, and Josh gets the credit for this one. Tuesday night we did a chef salad. ( we wanted to use up the lettuce since we'd been gone a few days and didn't want it to wilt and be wasted) Wednesday brought homemade potato soup, Thursday was cheese ravioli, salad, and yummy apple dumplings, and tonight is a big ole pot of beans and cornbread!!

Something about this time of year makes me want to get up and go. My house always stays clean, and the laundry done, and my baking skills drastically improve. I have a ton of friends that "claim" they are just not good cooks. However, I'm just not buying it. The beans I'm making tonight are just a bag of pintos covered in water with some slices of bacon thrown in a crockpot. Easy as pie.

Speaking of pie, those apple dumplings are the easiest dessert, and I promise you wont be disappointed. You just take cresent rolls filled with pieces of apple ( that have been rolled in sugar and cinnamon) Put in a baking disch and fill with a half a cup of water mixed with lots of sugar and cinnamon, then dollop the dumplings with butter and bake for 30 min!! AMAZING, you won't be disappointed!

This time of the year I also tend to watch Hocus Pocus about 100 times. We haven't gotten around to a viewing yet, but I am thinking it would go amazing with some pinto beans and cookies!! ;0)

$100 Giveaway!!

Go here

Sometimes.....

Sometimes, most times, I get so caught up in my day to day that I forget to stop and look around at all of my amazing blessings. I spent most of my morning reading a blog about a beautiful family who lost their 1 month old son last year. I read about the strength and faith in God. Many times I had to take a break to wipe the tears that were impairing my vision.

I get so completely caught up in things that are absolutely not important (ie cleaning, laundry, baby weight...) the list could go on and on. Often times I feel like I am just a lazy soul when I would rather lay in my pajamas with Lena all day, then pick up a broom. But then I remember how short this life is. Nothing brought that home more to me than losing my Papaw, and the biopsy I had to have done a few months ago. It's amazing how losing someone and seeing your life potentially slipping can breathe life back into you. I wish I could feel that kind of peace all the time.

I've never really written about my grandfather, maybe because I found it to personal, or maybe because it just seemed to soon. I was 22 years old when they diagnosed him with cancer. He had been sick for some time and I think we all knew it was more serious than he let on. Cancer seems to be such an everyday word anymore, that I truly thought nothing of it. My other Papaw had 3 different types all of which turned out fine.

I don't think the reality hit me until my wedding day. Papaw was too ill to make it to my wedding. I didn't think much of it until Josh suggested we go see him on our way to the reception. That was the first time I think I really cried for him. I think it was the first time I can truly remember his stubborn self being truly happy to see my loud mouth walk through his doors. And the only time I ever remember him getting up to hug me. We weren't by any means of the word close, but I loved him dearly and would give anything to know more about the man he was inside. The tears began to well up while walking to the car, Josh quickly grabbed and held me tight, reassuring the vows we had just exchanged. I took a large deep breath and let it go.

I'm not the crying type, or I wasn't before Lena came along. I hate to cry, simply because there's too much to be happy about!! A month later we discovered we were expecting our first and not long after Papaw took a turn for the worse. I decided to stay behind after Josh and I visited for a weekend. I visited Papaw regularly where I was able to tell him about the baby to come, and I remember the last time I was in the hospital. I knew that this would probably be the last time I saw him, so I kissed him on the cheek goodbye, just like I had done for the last 23 years.

Getting the call a few weeks later that he wasn't going to make it, broke my heart. I don't think I have ever felt so completely lonely. I wanted nothing more than to be with my family in that last moment. I was able to make it home for his funeral, and if a funeral can be beautiful, it was. The drive to KY was long. I went alone since Josh had to work. Part of me was hurt that he wasn't with me, but looking back I can see that it was my time to grieve and reflect. I needed to get that out of my system so I could put myself aside and be there for my Mamaw, mom, aunt, uncle, brother, cousins...etc!

Losing someone is hard, and Papaw was the first person in my day to day life that I had lost. But losing someone also puts life in perspective. Driving home after that week I felt nothing but peace. Death, be it hard for those of us left on earth, is just a part of life. When I grieve it's for my own selfish reasons, not because of his soul.

So when life gets out of focus for me I try to remember that peace. I try to step back and look at my blessings. I try to pray more and give thanks for all that I have.

Lessons...

So yesterday I learned an amazing lesson in motherhood. You always hear there's no such thing as a sick day, and boy buddy, they weren't lieing. I ended up with a horrible headache/migraine all day yesterday. I woke up with this irritating pain in my right temple that just continued to spread and eventually invaded my entire head. Im talking the BANG kind, where you need to aly in total darkness and complete quiet. A couple of times it sent me running to the bathroom. Unfortunately, though I happen to be the keeper of this beautiful little five month old. Actually she's five months today, but that's another post for another time.

After an hour of screaming and fighting, I finally got her to calm down and take a nap for a couple of hours. Unfortunately by the time that happened I was having hot flashes and a headache that was on the verge of just plain ole sickness.

I was finally able to get some meds and a short nap in when my husband got home. It didn't last long enough, and he was soon off to dream land leaving me with the crying baby again. I love my husband, I really do, and most of the time he's pretty close to perfect, but I won't lie when I say I wanted to scream, kick, cry, and throw a little tantrum.

So there is really no such thing as a sick day for a mommy!!

Miracles Happen....When you Believe!!

A Football Game.....

Josh sent me another email I wanted to share with you all....



Tennessee Football
This is a statement that was read over the PA system at the football game at Roane County High School , Kingston , Tennessee by school Principal, Jody McLeod

"It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games, to say a prayer and play the National Anthem, to honor God and Country."

Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a Prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law. As I understand the law at this time, I can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it "an alternate life style," and if someone is offended, that's OK.

I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity, by dispensing condoms and calling it, "safe sex." If someone is offended, that's OK.

I can even use this public facility to present the merits of killing an unborn baby as a "viable! means of birth control." If someone is offended, no problem...

I can designate a school day as "Earth Day" and involve students in activities to worship religiously and praise the goddess "Mother Earth" and call it "ecology.."

I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depicts people with strong, traditional Christian convictions as "simple minded" and "ignorant" and call it "enlightenment.."

However, if anyone uses this facility to honor GOD and to ask HIM to Bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, then Federal Case Law is violated.

This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, diabolical.
Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone, except GOD and HIS Commandments.

Nevertheless , as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to abide by rules with which they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical... I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional transgression.

For this reason, I shall "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's," and refrain from praying at this time.

" However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank GOD and ask HIM,in the name of JESUS, to Bless this event, please feel free to do so.. As far as I know, that's not against the law----yet."

One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands with one another and began to pray.

They prayed in the stands. They prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at the concession stand and they prayed in the Announcer's Box!

The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court of the United States of America- the Seat of "Justice" in the "one nation, under GOD."

Somehow, Kingston , Tennessee Remembered what so many have forgotten. We are given the Freedom OF Religion, not the Freedom FROM Religion. Praise GOD that HIS remnant remains!

JESUS said, "If you are ashamed of ME before men, then I will be ashamed of you before MY FATHER.."