In My Dreams

Remember the scene in Sweet Home Alabama where Melanie calls her folks from Jail and it's like not even 10:00 and the mom is wondering who on earth would be calling at such an hour?  Yeah, that's our house.  If someone is calling after 8:00 we are pretty much saying the same thing.

It's lights out in this house between 7:30 and 8:00 for Evelyn's last feeding and we usually fall asleep to the sweet sound of the television. We sometimes don't even see 9 o'clock. 

My brother called me last night around 8 something and I thought "what on earth is so important for him to be calling at this hour?"  Well, something really important.

  Are you ready for this news? 

 Wait, I need your full attention and preparation for this news. 

 Seriously. 

So here it is.....

There's about to be a new album and tour from a forgotten band that I don't think you are ready to hear about.

But I must be the one to tell you.

Ready for this?

It's The Party

No? You don't remember them?

The most amazing band to ever come from The Mickey Mouse Club?

Well, if you are a fan like me I just want you to know you are not alone in your love for this wonderful group.

On an honest note, this band is pretty bad.  Classic cheese.  But I'm not gonna lie.  If they come to a city near me I'm gonna have to talk a ticket purchase over with Zach Rowell.....and practice my dance routine from many many moons ago.  (Yes, there is a dance routine.)

Happy Happy Happy Wednesday

(Duck Dynasty starts tonight!)

April

WANTED: A Stylist

It's official.....I need a makeover big time!  I iron up my outfits on Sunday thinking they are super cute and then the minute I look at myself in the mirror at work I think "My gosh, what am I wearing?"  

I have absolutely no fashion sense whatsoever.  This momma needs some help!!!!

A lot of the reason why I'm having such a fashion slump is because I've got some extra pounds that need to slide off.  I restart my calorie counter every Monday and it's getting ridiculous.  I don't want to go shopping for new clothes until I feel really good with my weight.  It's a constant battle that only I can change and I've just got to regain some focus.  And as far as the earlier statement of being in a fashion slump, who am I kidding, I've NEVER had any fashion sense.  I think I'm too scared to be stylish.  

I've got to make a turn around though cause I can't be that mom who thinks she's cute and really looks like she has given up.  I promise you this though.....I WILL NOT wear mom jeans.  If you spot me in them please slice a hole in them immediately.  

So, if you know me you know that I'm a big Hilary Duff fan.  Love her! She is so cute and I really dig her style.  So, basically when I go on my little shopping spree I want her style.  Or Lauren Conrad.  She has super cute style.

If you like cute little movies with happy endings then I highly recommend Beauty and the Briefcase.  Hilary has great office style in this movie and I pretty much want everything that she wears.  Oh, and the body to pull it off.

So here is the plan for the next 4 months.

A) lose 15 pounds

B) get style

Gotta look and feel comfortable for Evelyn's one year photo session.

2013 Hot Momma on her way.

-April

CRYING OVER SPILLED PUMPED MILK

Guilt.  It's what I feel.  It's what I've been feeling for several weeks now.  From what I've heard from other moms this is totally normal.  It's not selfish and I've done it for over 7 months now and I think it's time.  TIME TO STOP PUMPING!!!!!

I have such mixed emotions about it.  My plan before I had Evelyn was to pump until I couldn't pump anymore.  Can't do it.  It's starting to drive me crazy.  I feel that in the past 7 1/2 months she's gotten mostly breast milk (we supplement with formula) and she is eating her baby food so well that I think it's time to start drifting away from pumping.

I started this transition a couple of weeks ago.  Only pumping once at work instead of twice and this weekend I only pumped when I got up and when I went to bed. I didn't notice any pain throughout the day and when I finally pumped in the evening I really didn't get an abundance of milk.  This week I haven't pumped at work at all and it is such an awesome feeling of freedom.

As proud of myself as I am for sticking out as long as I have I still feel guilty for stopping.  I have enough frozen milk that it should take me really close to her birthday when she can start drinking regular milk.  I think my biggest issue with quitting is that I am NOT good with change.  I mean, this little pumping machine has been by my side for over 7 months.  We hang out several times a day. Just me and the pump.  And I know when I pump for the last time it's going to be the last time I use the machine and that part of Evelyn's infancy is over.  It's one more step to her getting bigger and it makes me just a tiny bit sad.  I can't believe in 4 1/2 months she will be ONE YEAR OLD.  It's almost too much for this sentimental momma to handle.

One more upside to stopping pumping.....I can give up this AwFuL nursing bra!!  A) It's ugly B) It's been rubbing the same spots for 7 1/2 months now C) I can feel "free".

I'm also happy that I won't have to buy nursing pads and milk bags anymore.  Yes, formula is expensive but do you know what else is friggin expensive? Milkbags!  I spend $20 a week on those puppies.  I'm hoping the ones I bought this weekend will be the last ones I have to buy.  

_______________________

Yes, I know it's a week late but here is my little Valentine.  Best.One.Ever.

Oh, and guess what surprise was waiting on me when I got home today?

This little sweetheart saying "dadadadadada"

I've always heard and read that dada comes before mama so I'm gonna have my ears cleaned out and perked up so I can listen for it.

Love this girl!

Flashback Friday

Doesn't this look like one big fun group?  Well, I tell you now that it is.

This was 2 years ago on a Carnival cruise.

One that didn't have a fire.

(Feeling sorry for those poor people on the Carnival Triumph. Yuck!)

Beautiful thing about this picture is that 4 of these gals in this picture (me included) all have babies now.  Well, one is about to have a baby.  Wait, wait let me correct myself.  She is about to have TWO babies.  TWINS!!

Oh, and another one who already has one precious little boy, is due with her second baby boy in March.

Me, I believe I'm stopping at one.

Next thing you know we will be taking a group shot just like this again, all of us holding babies, all of us wearing some Mickey Mouse ears.

I'm predicting a Disney cruise in the future.

Happy Friday Friends!!

April

Thank You Pinterest

Yahooooo! I love it when I actually follow through on something I pin.  It makes me feel like my hours and hours of time I spend scrolling through my phone is all worth my thumb hurting.

We've been living in our house for 4 1/2 years now and I've never been happy with the walls in our bedroom.  I always feel like we are getting ready to move because the walls are so blank.

I found a few ideas on Pinterest that I've had pinned for awhile and I've finally made one of them happen.....

So I took this idea.....

.....and made this happen.....

 BEFORE

AFTER

I like the idea of all the pictures over the bed but I also like what I already have. (Still looking for a headboard.)  I have another blank wall that I am going to fill with pictures of Zach and I.  It might take me a bit to find the right pictures and frames so I will post that as soon as it's together.

It's strange how just adding this to the wall helps me sleep better and makes the room feel more welcoming and warm.  Very happy with my little project.  

Confession= I did not actually hang the curtains.  My sister did.  Me and hanging things do not go hand in hand.  And if Zach and I are trying to hang something together you might as well be prepared for a fight.  We are not good at it!  Thank goodness for my sister and her "one take hanging."

2nd Confession= Now that I see my room compared to the Pinterest room I feel like I need something more over the bed to fill the whole wall space.  Hhhhhmmm??? 

Maybe I should start with the headboard and go from there.

Have a great weekend!

Bird Is The Word

I'm linking up today with Amanda via Holly for What's in a Name?  

Wonder where we got the name Evelyn from?  A lot of people do.  Most think it's a family name but it's not.  Came straight from a baby name app.

A year or so before I was pregnant, Zach and I had a discussion about what we would name our children when the time came.  I really really really liked the name Lydia for our unborn girl but it was immediately vetoed.  Okay, what about a boy name?  Wesley.  LOVE the name Wesley.  Again, vetoed.  When we found out we were pregnant I found a baby name app and began searching.  We wanted to have a boy and girl name decided on as soon as we found out the gender so we could put an official name to this baby growing in my belly. We both agreed that we wanted an older name so I started looking up popular names from the 1900's and worked my way up.  There were a few names that we both really liked but we both kept coming back to Evelyn.  It was pretty and I personally like that it had a V in it.  We already knew that her middle name was going to be Revay, after Zach's grandma.  Evelyn Revay.  It just goes together. 

 I like the V's.

(Yes, we also had a boy's name picked out but there is no sense in boring you with that story since we obviously had a girl.  For those wondering, it was going to be Mitchell Jansen.)

When we would tell people what her name was going to be we were always asked "What are you going to call her for short?"  Our answer was always Evy. (Rhymes with heavy.) SIDE NOTE --if anyone ever calls her Heavy Evy I'm afraid I might have to fight them.--Do we call her Evy?  Sometimes.  Mostly to people that don't know her. To us, she's Birdie.  Our bird.  We had no plans before she was born to call her Birdie.  We planned on calling her Evy.  Why do we call her that you ask?  Because when she would eat when she was first born she looked like a little bird with her mouth open.  And that's why she's a bird.  It's catching on.  Friends and family now call her Birdie.  

____________________

Precious story - Zach's grandma, who Evelyn is named after, passed away when he was younger and he was very close to her.  Not long after Evelyn was born a relative of Zach's sent us a gift in the mail for her.  Keep in mind this lady had NO IDEA that we called her Birdie.  Wanna know what she sent us?

This....

with a note that read.....

______________________________

Dear Evie,

Your great grandmother Revay made this plaque for me many years ago and it has been on my piano ever since.  I just thought you might enjoy having it and it gives me great pleasure when I think that precious Revay's great granddaughter can enjoy it too.

_________________________________________

As soon as I read it I began to cry.  How cool that it's a painting of a little bird.  It couldn't be more perfect and it's proudly displayed in her room.

Well, that's pretty much her name story.  This little bird just turned 7 months and is working on tooth number 2!  Oh, AND we are crafting our skills with a sippy cup.  She's big time :)

-April