Life With E

I figured it was about time for an update on little Miss E. She turned 8 months old on May 1st and we can hardly believe it. At her doctors appointment last week she weighed 17lbs 10oz and is 27 inches long. She has grown 2 inches in two months which we are really happy about.

This was my attempt at taking a picture of her with her 8 month sticker, this is the only way I can take a photo successfully without her trying to eat it haha. She clearly was not amused by my tactics, oh well I win.

One of her new favorite things to do is crawl. Oh my goodness she is ALL over the place. When she gets going there is no stopping her. She makes a beeline for Emma's food bowl or the trash can (which is really odd but okay). You definitely have to keep your eyes on her because she is a fast one.

She is becoming more vocal which makes attending events for Kyle's work a little tricky. However, if I wear her in the Ergo she is a happy camper. People were cracking up at the little noises she was making during a few promotion ceremonies last week.

She still only has the 2 bottom teeth but we know she is working on a top one because of a wicked bump on her gum and she gets pretty ticked when you try to touch her gums. Even though her gums are sensitive it does not stop her from eating. She wants anything we have and her favorite foods are rice, chicken, mashed potatoes, apples, pumpkin, and bananas. She is slowly warming up to yogurt but it's a work in progress.

She still loves being in the stroller. She will now grab a hold of the tray and pull herself forward so she can see what is going on. She has become a champ at participating in races, I'm pretty sure she has the best seat in the house. :)

She is not a morning person at all!! She hates being woken up as is evident in this photo I took Monday morning. I had to get her up at 6am to head to the car dealership and she fell back asleep sitting up haha. Despite not being a morning person sleep is not an issue, she is just like her parents and loves sleep.

We couldn't be more thankful for this precious girl and we love watching her grow and learn. Her sass is definitely coming out and it's fun to experience.

**To all my awesome fellow milspouses don't forget to link-up with me and Amanda on Friday! Here are the questions to answer. Link-Up

Our Favorite Items: Baby Edition

A few days ago I commented on a post by the lovely Erica at Whimsical September about strollers and how there are so many different types to choose from. This led to her mentioning that I should write a post about how we made the decision to use a convertible car seat from Day 1. Instead of designating an entire post to that, I thought I would share some gadgets that have worked for us on this new journey of parenthood.

1. Chicco NextFit Convertible Car Seat. 

Target 

I did a lot of research when I was pregnant and talked to a few different moms (particularly my sister) about car seats and what they enjoyed. I ultimately made the decision that a convertible seat was for us. I personally did not like the idea of lugging an infant seat around everywhere. I also knew that I was going to wear her as much as I could and therefore negated the need to lug a car seat around. Another potential obstacle was going out to eat, well we selected a stroller that was perfect for newborns, problem solved. 

Erica was curious if it was a problem with a baby that falls asleep a lot in the car. Well, thankfully we haven't had that problem. E would fall asleep in her car seat and we would transfer her successfully to her rock n play. However, this might not work for others. Ultimately, we would do it again for a variety of reasons the biggest being able to have this seat until she is 65 pounds. It is rear facing from 5-40 pounds and forward facing from 22-65 pounds. E has always seemed comfortable in this seat, I don't feel like she is being squished. It has 9 different recline settings that change as she gets older and bigger. It is easy to install and very easy to transfer into different vehicles. We have been really happy with it. 

2. Evenflo ProComfort Victory Jogger and Summer Infant 3D lite stroller

Target and Target

 We knew from the start that we wanted a jogging stroller because of how much we run. Since we would not be using a travel system (it can accommodate an infant seat) I needed one that worked for newborns and I found this stroller. It's perfect! E seems comfortable in it and sleeps like a champ. We were using this for everyday errands as well but it became a little bulky for quick trips to the store. 

I found the Summer Infant 3D lite stroller at Target. It was reasonably priced and is small and lightweight. I am happy with the 2 strollers that we have, they are exactly what we need. I do also wear her when I'm grocery shopping and for that I have an Ergo 360 (it's amazing!).

3.Summer Infant Pop N Play Portable Playard.
Amazon 

All parents know that when a baby becomes mobile it becomes challenging to get anything done. I was on the hunt for something to "contain" our on the go girl. I found this playard on Amazon and knew it was perfect. It can be used in any situation, inside or outside. It has mesh sides to it's breathable and E can see what is going on around her. You can buy it with or without the sun shade, we chose with and it's great for sunny days. It's been a win from the start.

4. Baby Brezza

Target

So this gadget may seem silly to a lot of people but to new parents who are exhausted in the middle of the night it is AMAZING!!! It is basically a keurig for formula. It heats the water to the right temperature and mixes it with the formula and dispenses it. My sister purchased this for us and wow. I would recommend it to anyone!

 

These are just some of the things that have helped us on the journey of parenthood. I am sure we will continue to find things that work. Of course what works for one family and baby may not work for others. :)

What baby items worked for you?

Life Lately

How is it Friday already!? I feel like this week just started. 

1. My Dad was admitted to the hospital on Monday due to an infection in his hand (word of advice: always wear gloves when working outside), he poked his finger on a sheet metal screw and chaos ensued from there. He had surgery on his hand to remove the infection and I'm so thankful that he was released from the hospital late yesterday and is doing better.

*Huge shout out to my sister for being awesome and taking care of him during this and to my niece and nephew for being flexible. :)

2. E had her check-up with her cardiologist yesterday for her heart murmur. She still has a small hole leading into her right atrium but it is nothing that is causing concern. She is not showing signs of problems and the doctor is convinced that it will be closed by the time she is 3. We will follow up with a new cardiologist when she is 2. We are so relieved.

3. We got our official pack dates from the movers! Woo! They will pack on June 5th and 6th, and load the truck on the 7th. I can't believe that we are 1 month away from that happening. I ordered a ton of bubble wrap to start wrapping pictures and things that are sentimental. Do you think I ordered enough?! Haha.

4. I am 1 week away from hopping on a plane to Disneyland with my sister! I feel like time flew by and I can't believe it's already so close. We both have finished our costumes and we can't wait to run through Disneyland/Anaheim. My MIL is flying in the day before I leave to help Kyle out while I am gone since he still has to work.

5. Now let's talk about this guy! Yesterday, he celebrated 10 years in the Army! I am so proud of him for all he has accomplished over the years. Not only did he celebrate that milestone but today is his birthday!! He isn't a huge fan of birthdays so we usually keep it pretty low key at home. I ordered a golf themed cake for him and he wants homemade chicken fingers and fries. I love how simple he is to please when it comes to food haha. 

Happy Birthday, my love! Here is to another awesome year! <3 br="">

We are running a 5k tomorrow morning, can't think of a better way to spend the morning.

OH!!! I also now have a FB page for this ole' blog of mine. It only took me 9 years to do that haha.

Marathons and Dog Tags

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Let's Link-Up!

Well, it's that time of year again! Every year the Friday before Mother's Day is Military Spouse Appreciation Day. This day was enacted on May 23, 1984 by President Ronald Reagan as a way to honor those amazing spouses who give so much to their service members and to the military community.

For the last few years Amanda from Somewhere Over The Camo and I have hosted this link up. It's a great way to meet other military spouses and expand friendships within this incredible community.

So please share this, grab the button below and link up with us on Friday, May 12th!

Also, use the hashtag #2017MilSpoDayLinkUp on social media.

Here are a few questions to answer for the link up:

//Tell us about yourself and your blog.

//What branch of military are you affiliated with?

//What is one thing you enjoy about the military lifestyle?

//What advice would you give other spouses who are new?

//Where have you been stationed?

//Do you work, go to school, volunteer, or stay home? 

 We look forward to everyone linking up with us!

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Watercolor

A few weeks ago I came across a fellow military spouse that specializes in creating watercolor paintings of animals. I knew instantly that I wanted her to create artwork of Emma and Fishy. 

She happens to live in my neighborhood which made things really easy in terms of picking up the finished product. I had a lot of reasons why I wanted this done. They are our first babies and they are such a special part of our family. I wanted a way to commemorate what they mean to us. I sent her a few photos and it only took her a few days to complete them.

When I received the finished products I was blown away. I couldn't believe how beautiful they were. I can't wait to get them framed and hang them up in our new home.

Ashley is so incredibly talented! If you are wanting work done please contact her at pawfully cute designs. She will ship and her prices are very reasonable. You won't be disappointed!

Giving Back

Since I have made the decision to hold off on going back to work until E is school age, I've decided that I want to get back into volunteering. When we were at Bliss, I was heavily involved with our FRG (Family Readiness Group) as both a company FRG leader as well as the Battalion Senior Advisor. It was exhausting but so worth it. I opted to take time off while we were in Louisiana and I am glad I did, it was nice to just recharge. 

Kyle received his in-processing paperwork for school and in it were a variety of volunteer opportunities for me to consider while we are in Kansas. Don't get me wrong I absolutely love being home with E but Kyle reminded me that it's important for me to do something that I'm passionate about and volunteering for a few hours a week doesn't seem unreasonable.

One that I am considering being part of is the Parent Advisory Council for CYS (Child and Youth Services). This is a group that meets quarterly to discuss ways in which to enhance the youth programs offered as well as working on the Parent Participation Program which encourages parents to be active and volunteer within the program. With my background and desire to work in a field that relates to kids I figured this would be a great fit for me.

Another is being the secretary for the individual small group that my husband will be a part of. For ILE (or CGSC as it's also known as) there is the entire class of service members but they are also broken down into small groups. The spouses get together and plan events, essentially forming their own small FRG. 

However, there is one volunteer opportunity that I have been researching on my own for a while. I am looking into becoming a coach with Girls on the Run. It is an organization that works with girls (3rd-5th grade and 6th-8th grade) that utilizes a experience-based curriculum that encourages them to be healthy and confident, but the best part is that they also incorporate running. They have a chapter in the Leavenworth area and it sounds like it would be a perfect fit. I have reached out to the director and am waiting to hear back from her. 

I love volunteering and being able to give back to the community is a huge blessing. I know this year is going to be awesome for so many reasons. Between having more time together as a family and being able to volunteer, it's going to be wonderful. I want to teach E that it is important to give back, I hope I can lead by example for her.

Do you volunteer? If so, what do you do?

A Weekend of Fun

We enjoyed another long weekend with Kyle, that is the one perk of his job. They are compensated with days off after a packed rotation training schedule. 

Friday was spent purging his military gear. OH MY GOSH! It's ridiculous how much nonsense they accumulate over the years. These 5 totes were filled with old uniforms and random pieces of gear. The Army came out with new uniforms last year and are in the process of phasing out the ACU pattern, during this purge Kyle got rid of 30 sets of uniforms. Yikes! It was definitely needed.

Saturday morning we were up bright and early to head off to a 5k in Deridder. E was ready to go in her cute Under Armour outfit. Kyle ran ahead of me with her in the stroller, I kept following his bright orange shirt, it gave me motivation. It was a great race, I wasn't feeling the best but still managed a 31 minute 5k.

Once we got home we focused on purging the garage, Kyle made a few trips to the dumpster and it feels good to be junk free. After we were finished we decided to go bowling and miniature golfing. It was such a fun family outing! I wore E while golfing and it was so awkward haha. Any time I bent over she just hung there, it was pretty funny.

Sunday was a recharge and relax day. I worked on our budget and meal plan for the week. These weekends always go by too fast.

Hope you all had a great one!