Gone Fishin'

Nick is big into fishing but this is the first he's had Blaine out fishing since winter; considering also that this particular fishin hole is IN our backyard. ;) Both had fun!

Wordless Sunday

Just 'cause these are too cute for words. :)

Farmchick's Friday Farm Picture: Farm Stand!

'Tis that time of the year! Trying to sell anything and everything we can to avoid having to freeze it or feed it to the pigs. ;)

We're doing decent! Sold 50 dozen ears of corn in the last 2 days. CRAZY!

Farmchick's Farm Photo Friday

Blaine loves visiting our neighbors across the street!

Sleep Deprivation...It's for Real!

I haven't made a post about Blaine and his sleep because I just sort of decided he sucks at sleeping and there was no point to writing about it. I've been trudging along in my sleep deprived state for 13 months now.

When I had a baby I was prepared to "be a zombie for 6 months". I thought that would be an overestimate. I'm the type of person who REALLY NEEDS SLEEP. During the school year I'd go to bed at 9:30 pm to make a comparison. I'm the type of person who literally feels like throwing up and gouging my eyes out if up past 11 pm. I'd be a great companion to New Yrs Eve parties. ;)

So despite reading 5 sleep books, trying CIO since April, we still have nights of 7 wakeups at times. Teething? Molars? Growth Spurt? Bad dreams? Too hot? Too cold? SO MANY FRICKIN VARIABLES.

I hear about other babies [of my friends and on blogs] who have slept great since birth it seems. Ask them what they did and they say "nothing". "Just lucky I guess".

YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW LUCKY YOU ARE.

I know this though: My husband was in California for 2 weeks and he thought it would be a great marriage strengthening decision to go on a 4 day fishing trip with his brother this week.

WHEN ALL I NEED IS SOME HELP AND SOME TIME TO SLEEP.

I was pissed. He knew I was pissed. He went anyway.

I'm about to lose my exhausted mind. I'm literally so tired I feel like barfing and wonder if sleep deprivation could possibly lead to an early death.

I'm not looking for advice on how to get Blaine to sleep or any "oh I'm sorry" type of comments, I just want some people to tell me that they are in the same boat. And not everyone is "just lucky" with their sleepers!

PS When do I get to get away for 3 weeks and leave husband at home with a baby who doesn't sleep?

Toddle Along: NEED BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS!

Hello you Tuesday Toddlers!! I need your help!

I recently read: and thanks to bloggers' reviews and LOVED THEM BOTH IMMENSELY!

Need some new suggestions! Thanks for any you can give. :)

Is It Normal to Feel....

Is it normal to feel: a twinge of envy everytime I hear of a blogger / facebook friend / real life friend / cousin who is pregnant? I am 110% confident I want to be able to enjoy Blaine and only Blaine for SEVERAL MORE YEARS without adding a new baby to the mix. So why the feeling?

Is it normal to feel: SO FRICKIN HOT ALL THE TIME? I feel like I'm in menopause. Darn hormones. Or is it the hormones? Any other mothers always feeling hotter than everyone else in the room?

Is it normal to feel: like I have a closer relationship with my child than I've ever had with my husband over the last 10 years? I see one of them 24 / 7 and the other one every 2 weeks. Ok maybe that's exaggerating a bit but it sure feels that way. I really do think I'll know Blaine as a person way better than I'll ever know Nick and that makes me sad. Am I the only mom who feels this way?

Is it normal to feel: ABSOLUTE ANXIETY / DREAD WHEN THINKING OF RETURNING TO WORK? Even though that is more than 1 year away?

Friday Farm Chic's Photo Bloghop

Bigger than my baby now!! Actually bigger than me.....

'bout 800 pounds!

Toddle Along Tuesday: Tractor Magazines

Blaine loves sitting on the potty and reading tractor magazines with Dadda!

Tuesday is here again! Lots of exciting things planned for this week since it is cross country camp week [and I'm not coaching this year but plan on making a visit once or twice]. I miss coaching and going to camp SOOOO MUCH. Mainly the canoeing everyday part. ;) Can't wait until Blaine is a bit older to take him canoeing down there. Very scenic!

I'm starting to think if it wasn't for school, August and September would definitely be my favorite months of the year. The nighttime bugs just sound so great. The weather is much nicer than July, and I just love how the garden / landscape looks this time of the year all filled out.

Up Up and Away: Pro Football Hall of Fame

Had a great time this weekend, helping to carry the Pinocchio balloon in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Parade! I really miss my high school band marching days and longed to be in the parade again. My dad always forgets to sign me up to help with his company's balloon (they let non-employees help), so my friend came through and signed me up with his instead.

It was waaay harder than I expected! It was so rush rush rush, and the balloon always had to go right or left or higher or lower, and the crowd was screaming "SPIN IT" at the top of their lungs the whole route. Not to mention it was HOT out. haha. This balloon was the tallest in the parade, 7 stories high. Crazy to think they only instruct the volunteers for about 10 minutes on what to do: down / up, turn, spin, etc. But I had a great time!

I almost think I prefer to just sit an watch the parade! I felt like I missed out on seeing everthing else that was in the parade, so next year I will just take Blaine and watch. Then the year after that, who knows! Maybe a bell choir float? LOL. ;)

World Breastfeeding Week

Never thought I'd still be breastfeeding past one year but things have been going so smoothly it would be tough to give it up at this point. I can honestly say though that if I had went back to work, I probably would have quit. Or just breastfed when I was home. I absolutely would not have made it if I had to pump for a whole year. I have a hate hate relationship with my breastpump. As of July 2011, it was packed away for good and if I leave Blaine with a babysitter, he gets some [gasp] leftover free sample formula. KUDDOS TO ALL MOMMIES THAT EXCLUSIVELY PUMP AND / OR HAVE TO PUMP AT WORK! You are heros to your children and heros to me!

Luckily only one person has asked me when I'm going to "quit" [my dad] and I just looked at him and said, "Who cares? I don't know" and that ended the conversation. ;)

Toddle Along: Hayin'

We've got a new toy around here: a golf cart! Much easier than a lawnmower to drive Blaine around endlessly each evening. Here he is watching great-grandpa mowing down the hay!

One Year Pictures!!

I was tickled pink errr green when I saw how good they turned out!

Got to give credit where credit is due: first and most importantly, to myhusbandgrowscotton.blogspot.com. She took her blog down but had the MOST AMAZING PHOTOS IN THE WORLD. Luckily I could still see some of the pictures through my dashboard and jotted down some ideas like to use the wagon with the tractor in the background.

Secondly to babycenter.com where I saw some cool ideas involving using the white 1 and having kids dress in only onesies so you can see the cute baby legs. ;)

Last, to my mom friend Jaclyn who took the photos! I don't have very good photography skills and she's starting a photography business so luckily always volunteers to do photos for us for free.