Liebster Award!

Since I am a week late in getting this out (I've been super busy with Abi being sick and school) I'm going to post what I have and finish up asap!
This is going to be tricky! I was nominated by three different blog pals for the Liebster award and they all have different questions... I may just pick and choose which of each gal's 11 to answer, lol. Not to mention that 5 of the blogs I read regularly have already been nominated or nominated me...  that cuts down quite a few of the people I would nominate!

So a big thank you to Ryanne, Megan and Jamey for nominating me! I love all of your blogs and if I could tag back I would!
 
For those of you who don't know "The Liebster award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers.  What is a Liebster?  The meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome." I actually got that information from a blog named welovedhere I've only just started reading this blog, and I like what I've read so far!

So rules rules rules! Here are the rules for the Liebster Award: 

1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
2. Answer the questions that the tagger set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you’ve tagged to answer.
3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post.
4. Go to their page and tell them.
5. No tag backs!


11 things about me

1. I am a mother first and all else second. I never ever thought that I would put anyone before my husband, but it has happened. I cannot explain the connection and strong feelings I have toward my daughter, all you mothers know what I'm talking about though. It's as though my heart swelled up to bursting the moment I set eyes on her. Of course I love my husband even more than before because he's the father of our beautiful daughter. But it's different love. I grew my daughter. Which still amazes me. 

2. I want an even number of children. I was an only child and while I was "spoiled" (though I was taught to be grateful, share and all that stuff) I wished for a sibling my whole life. I refuse to allow Abi to miss out on the joys of being a big sister. That being said, I grew up with my best friend who is the middle child and the black sheep of her family. She can't do anything right, ever. And she was never treated as well as her older sister or the baby of the family. So from very little on I knew I never wanted a middle child. Which means I have to have an even number of kids. 2 or 4 but I'll be lucky if I can get my husband to agree to 2. 

3. I love to cook. Anything and everything. We don't have much time for really cooking right now though, Abi is in a very clingy stage (not to mention she's army crawling everywhere and I can't leave her alone in a room for longer than a few moments). As much as I love to cook, that's how much I can't bake. Not from an actual recipe, but a cake from a box? Fo'get about it! lol

4. My husband and I met on Yahoo! Personals. One of the things that first attracted my husband to me was the fact that I listed the show "Futurama" as one of my favorites. He said it was rare to find a woman who liked that show, lol. One of the first things that attracted me to him was that he listed that he would like to learn how to knit. I knew right there he had a sense of humor and would keep me laughing. I was right!

5. I am terrible in social situations. I never used to be though. I am not quite sure why, but even with people I've known for years but haven't seen in a while I am awkward. I think I actually feel more at ease with strangers because I guess they don't remember me the way I used to be (thin, outgoing) so they don't have anything to compare me to. But even that's not entirely true because my classmates and I were strangers at first and I only really talk to a few of them. It sucks because I feel so left out when everyone else talks about getting together and going out or even just a conversation from facebook. It's our 3rd semester together and everyone has their own cliques except a few random people who mesh with everyone. I hate feeling left out but I don't know how to break out of my shell enough to be more part of the groups.

6. I want to be pregnant again. Everyone thinks I'm crazy since Abi is only 10 months old. It's not rational really, since I know that 40 weeks later I'll have another baby and I'm not ready for that yet... but I loved being pregnant for the most part. There are 3 girls in my program now that are pregnant and I am super jealous! 

7.I am watching a rerun of Psych, studying for a test on Friday and typing this at the same time. Normally I cannot multi task that well. Not and understand what's going on...

8.I have a tendency to complain a lot. I also have very little patience. Sometimes I get so upset at the stupidest things! I try to write it off to hormones, but I can't do that all the time. LoL

9.Okay, super random fact. I know exactly where my ovaries lie in my pelvis. We are practicing transabdominal ultrasound this semester and it's pretty nifty!

10. Hubby is on a night shift rotation and I thought I'd hate it but I actually like it. Other than him not being home at night, he's home more often and can help out waaaay more with Abi. I'm loving that he keeps her home with him some days when I go to school so that she doesn't have to be in daycare!

11.This was incredibly hard for me to think of 11 things to talk about! So 10 it is! :)

11 Questions ( these are a bit of a mixture from the two)

1. How did you know that your spouse was THE ONE? 

He made me feel like the most important person in the world, like I was more beautiful than I felt and worthy of being loved for me. He appreciates me for my intelligence and supports me through all things and always has. He makes me laugh, even in the middle of some serious situations when laughter might be the farthest thing from your mind. And I love him. 

2. Name the 3 most important people in your life. Why are they so important?
Well, First there's Abi. She's my beautiful daughter and light of my life. I can't imagine life without her. Especially now that she's more mobile and her personality is starting to really shine through, she's just so fun and funny! Then there's my husband. He's my rock and my strength when I am tired and weak from life beating me down. He keeps me grounded but lets me get a little crazy with my imaginative ideas too. Third... this is hard. To be honest right now I don't have many close friends anymore and my mom and I are not as close as we used to be. She's still important to me and I love her but... I'm not sure I can elevate her to third most important as awful as that sounds. I guess it's just myself then, as selfish as that sounds. I think we should all consider ourselves one of the most important people in our own lives though. If we don't think we are important then we might stop taking care of ourselves or loving ourselves. That happens and what good are we to others?

3. If you had a million dollars, how would you spend it?
My husband and I often discuss this question. He and I would each take 100,000 for our own bank accounts. Then half of the rest gets put into a CD to draw interest. The other half goes toward a new home for us, a new car for hubby, college fund for Abi (which can also come from the CD money) and I would give some to my mom so she can be clean of debt. I think my husband would give some to his sister and nephews so they can be more comfortable too. Then we would spoil Abi rotten. No, not really. Maybe if it was several million... but I don't want to have to buy her friends someday... lol. Oh I'd get a personal trainer and a chef to cook us super yummy, healthy foods. Just long enough for us to really get into a good habit (maybe a few years) then we would do for ourselves. 

4. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Wow, in 10 years I'll almost be 40... yikes! I hate to think of that. Not that 40 is old. Hmm.. hopefully I will be completely done with school and in either an administrators position at one of the hospitals (in whatever city we end up in) or as the head sonographer of an OB/GYN office. I haven't decided what way I want to go yet. I also hope that I've been able to convince hubby to have at least one more baby... 

5. What is one way you are seeking to improve yourself this year?
I'm on Weight Watchers again and hoping to lose enough weight to help keep my knee from going out again, then more so that I'm in a healthy weight range for my short height. 

6. What is the best book you have ever read? "The Giver" by Lois Lowry. It's a youth book, but I love it and it really makes you think. 

7. What song describes your mood today? "1234" by Plain White T's

8. Do you have a bucket list? Yes, sort of. It's my 35 by 35 and I haven't really worked on it lately... eek!

9. What is your favorite quote? "No one will ever know the strength of my love for you. After all, you're the only person who knows what my heart sounds like from the inside." Not sure who said it, I found it on Pinterest and it spoke to me because that's exactly how I feel about Abi.

10. Least favorite chore? Ugh, washing silverware or cleaning the bathroom! 

11. What is your next vacation spot? Hawaii hopefully for our 5 year anniversary! We cannot wait to get back to the beach and bring Abi for her first big trip!

11 Questions for YOU
1. What's your all time favorite movie and why?
2. If you could meet anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you talk about?
3. What are some traditions you want to pass down to your children?
4. Do you find it easy or hard to make friends? 
5. Do you have a hero and if so who and why? If not, why not?
6. What is your dream home like? Details!
7. What's your favorite childhood memory?
8. If you could meet anyone, dead or alive who would it be? (sorry, cliche)
9. What is your greatest strength? Your greatest weakness?
10. Favorite quote?
11. Are you an only child or do you have siblings? What do you like best about your specific situation? 

And the nomination goes to....
1. lalalawrence
2. MrsV
3.Bellies and babies
4. Our little ME

Those are the only ones I follow that have not either nominated me or had someone else nominate them. However, that's not to say that those blogs are not awesome! Each one is great, they all have little ones that are oh so cute and I truly enjoy reading their blogs!

Photo cuteness

Me and Abi on Christmas eve. She loved her bow!

Abi in daddy's zombie hat, which she thinks is hysterical!

My cool kid. ;)

I hate daycare

So Abi has a bacterial infection.. and an ear infection... and PINK EYE. Thanks a lot daycare. Poor kid can't catch a break. And I found what appears to be a swollen gum next to her 2 bottom teeth, so we may have a third poking through soon. But with the swelling I'm thinking it's not going to be as easy as the first two.

So a little bit of funny happenings. My husband went to Meijer because I found this adorable owl coat for Abi. It was on sale for 9$ from 65$!! I told him size 12 months. He got that and figured for 9$ he'd grab a larger size in another cute print. He got a 4t. Seriously hun, we have no idea when she'll be in that size, it could be the middle of summer! LOL Then he grabbed up some super nice cotton type sweat pants for her. A 12 month and two 24 month. Said she could wear them this summer inside in the A/C. I said, "you do realize 24 months is 2 years old, right??" Oh. LOL! Oh and the hanger on the owl coat says 12 months but the tag inside the coat says 18 months. So we will be heading back and praying there's still a 12 month coat left. It is soooooo cute! I've been on an owl kick lately ever since I picked up an owl tumbler at Kohls. I haven't been able to find much in the way of owls for Abi though, so if any of you own or have seen something recently let me know! :)

Weight watchers take 2 and update type stuff

First of all, Happy New Year to all of you! I have been a little lax with my updating even with all the "time" on my hands. I haven't really been in the writing mood. We really haven't been terribly busy but also hubby had two 4 day weekends over the holidays and so we spent as much time together as that allowed. Unfortunately I start back to school Monday, unfortunate because I am not looking forward to messing up Abi's new routine with daycare. She's settled into a perfectly wonderful (for a stay at home mom) but downright awful (for going to daycare on my schedule) routine. She seems to wake up at night and talk to herself for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. At least once. I've been missing this as she doesn't scream or cry to be fed or changed. But I figured it out last night when she woke up at 5:20a and just cooed and talked to herself until 6. Then slept in until 8. She didn't even want a bottle, which she's been getting at least once a night since the beginning of December. So when she gets up for the day, she's already tired from not having as much sleep at night at she should. Which I think is why she's been taking two wonderful 1-hour naps each day. Unfortunately, they range from 10/10:30-11/11:30 or 11-12. All times I will have to be leaving the house to get to school this semester. UGH! I've tried keeping her up until noon (which is a time she'll be at daycare everyday) but she just gets more and more cranky and crabby until I put her down. This week is going to be hell. Then her second nap is between 2:30 and 3. Again some of the time I will be picking her up from daycare at this time. Not everyday, and honestly I know  she won't take hour naps at daycare... but it'd be nice to have her get in at least one hour nap before I have to leave for school. That would mean getting her up at like 6... eeek. I'm not into waking a sleeping baby unless I absolutely have to.

Which brings me to another issue. Abi has to have an MRI done on her back. Well, I finally scheduled it for the end of march. Just after her first birthday we have to wake my baby up at an unGodly hour, not feed her and take her to a hospital to have them sedate her so they can perform an MRI. Needless to say I am scared out of my mind. She won't go fully under, just into a "twilight" state to keep her from moving... but she's not going to be happy and she's not going to go easy. She hates strangers, even her Dr... plus not having been fed will make her extra cranky. I'm so worried about the potential for side effects from the anesthesia that I have mini breakdowns just thinking about it. The neurosurgeon said we could wait until she was 9 months old but her dr said we could push it till a year if we really wanted to. But now that she's having this "mild delay" her dr said that we may need to push it to February. I don't want to do it at all. Either she will be fine or she will have a tethered spinal cord. But her dr has been vague on what happens next so I think she's hoping for the best.  But it's likely going to mean surgery. Which means I'm dropping out of school because my husband can't quit his job and take care of her. I'm a "worry over the worst case scenario" kind of gal... but the worst worst case I can think of is her having such a bad reaction to the anesthetic .. that... I can't even finish the sentence let alone the thought. But the next worse is surgery. I don't think she has a tethered cord. She had an ultrasound done the day after she was born to look at it and neither the sonographer nor the radiologist thought she has one. This is at our local childrens hospital that is one of the best in the country, so I'm fairly confident in their findings. But of course a neurosurgeon would say "get an MRI" that's his brand of test. Sooooooo needless to say I am freaked and it's not getting any better with school starting. Speaking of, I'll have to go to school after Abi's MRI!!! Unless I can figure out a way to not be there that day, which I might talk to my teacher about... we'll see. But Abi won't be going to daycare that much I'm sure of. Either I'll be home or my husband is taking off work.

Okay so on to my next little bit. I've started weight watchers again. My grandparents-in-law sent us some money for Christmas and I'm using my share to pay for an online subscription. So far, so good. I lost 20lbs on it last time before having to cancel my subscription so hopefully it will work to help me lose more this time around. But I find myself out of points and still hungry daily. (For those of you who are unfamiliar with ww, they assign you a certain number of points each day and all the foods you eat have a specific point value you add up and deduct from your daily allotment. When you hit zero points, that's all the food you can eat, unless you eat a zero points food such as veggies.) I will take time to "shrink" my stomach back down to a more reasonable size to accommodate such small portions, but measuring things out and really thinking about what I'm eating seems to be helping me. I've got such a long way to go... and hopefully once I'm down a few lbs I can start trying to exercise again. It's been far too long. :-/

Sorry for the downer post, I haven't got many people to talk to these days and it's my hubby's birthday so I don't want to drag him down today with my gloomy thoughts.

OH and Worst reason to not have more kids...

Hubby says that he worries about Abi when she's sick. He doesn't like to worry, so that makes him not want more kids because then he'd have more to worry about. He says it's yet another "mark in the no more kids column"

To that I say "are you kidding me????" Of course you worry about your baby, that's a parent's lot in life! We will never NOT worry about her until the day we die. End of story. I worry about her daily, but especially when she's sick and that makes me sick, all the worrying. But I'd at least like one more baby.

9 months old!

I will probably say this forever but I cannot believe how fast the time has gone! Abi is 9 months old already! Holy cow, when did that happen?!?!?! Ha! I think I blinked at some point... So here is what's up with miss Abigail this past month!

Sleep Abi is sleeping mostly through the night from 7p-5/6a I wish she'd go back to her 7-7, but since she's been sick it's still so much better than the alternative. There have been a few nights that she wakes up to be fed, but unless she's sick they're few and far between. The past couple of nights (Christmas eve and Day) she got up at 11/12 and screamed for an hour. Now this screaming is not a cry, it's an "I'm mad or bored do something about it" but I can not calm her down for the life of me. She's not in hysterics or anything, so I fed her, burped her, kissed her and laid her back into her crib. But no one got much sleep. I made several trips back in but nothing really made a difference, until finally an hour and a half or so later I'd give her a few more ounces (which I'd offered her to begin with!) and she'd go back to sleep. UGH! Thankfully that only lasted a few nights. She's also been taking between 2 and 3 1/2 hours of naps during the day. Usually in two naps, the first in the late morning for about an hour and the later one mid afternoon/early evening for at least 2 hours. It's amazing! I know this will not happen at daycare in a few weeks. .. I'm hoping she'll need a little less sleep during the day by then. But who knows!
Eats Abi's favorite food is sweet potato, so much so that when we introduce something new I have to pair it with sweet potato just to make her happy! She's had avocado, squash, sweet potato, bananas, pears, apples, whole milk yogurt and now as a finger food broccoli. She LOVES broccoli I think mainly because she's feeding it to herself. She'll put a piece in her mouth and clap her hands! It's soooooooooooooooooo cute! She has also taken to water recently, which amazes me because before she hated it! But again I think it's because it's in her sippy cup and she can drink from it herself. Oh and just this past Saturday we started bits of green beans. Can you say "love"? lol
Play Abi has lots of new toys from Christmas and so far she's loving all of them. Of course she's still putting everything in her mouth, so I can't let her play with some things since I can't wash them.. but she's still enjoying rolling around and grabbing/chewing/slobbering on everything else. She still doesn't like me to leave the room for too long, and that's a problem because daycare doesn't "coddle her" (they say coddle I say play with...) as much as I do so I think the first week back she'll be screaming all day. I'm freaked about Fridays now too as I'll be in class 10-5:30 and I don't know if I'll be able to see her at all that whole time. Anyway, Abi is starting to get up on her knees and elbows and rock. Finally! She hasn't quite made it to her hands and kness yet, but I know that's coming. She's scooted a little, forward and backward and is slowly starting to grab onto things and try to pull up. She's "delayed" according to her dr. but only slightly. (grr)
Other Abi has two teeth that are sticking out pretty well now, but no other teeth seem to be coming in. She seems to hate being tired so much so that she'll scream and cry while playing until I rock her to sleep. But only for naps, for bedtime she stays awake after her last bottle and talks to me until I put her down in her crib. At least last night she talked to herself for about 15 minutes until she finally fell asleep. It was so cute! I wish she'd do that for nap time too... I'm sure I've got more to add to this but little miss is awake...