What A Slacker I Have Been

My apologies... It has been oh... 6 MONTHS!!! since I have posted any new blogs lol... I promise to do better. So here is a short version of our lives since June (which will explain the lack in posts)

I got a job!!! YAY!! I started working in Gaffney back in June on a Med-Surg/Pediatric unit doing 3rd shift. I really like it there and I have met some amazing people along the way. I have to drive an hour (one way) to work which gets to be a bit much but I love my job. The one draw back is not seeing my husband and baby as much as I would like. I usually work 3 nights in a row which means I will see them the morning of my first night when Frankie leaves for work... then I won't see them again for 3.5 days until Frankie gets home from work after I've completed my last night.

Frankie is still working at Ace's and he really likes it there. He and the guys in the shop get along great which keeps him happy. He rarely comes home upset from work... which was an everyday thing with Pep Boys.

Cam started new school this year but he really seems to like it. We haven't heard any complaints with kids picking on him like we have the past couple years. It's a nice change =o)

Now for the major update... Joey lol. He is 8 months old now!!!! Hard to believe. He is growing up so fast. He is now sleeping through the night, rolling over, sitting up, eating baby food, and feeding himself his bottles. Foods he likes include: carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, squash, peas, apples, applesauce, bananas, peaches, & apples w/raspberries. He has yet to crawl =o\ I think he may be like me. I've been told I didn't crawl. I rolled... and then began pulling myself up on objects which led to walking. Joey rolls over great and is real good about sliding around the hardwood floors on his butt... guess he's not too worried about crawling right now. His first word was mama =oD Not sure how happy daddy was about that considering daddy sees him more than I do. Now it sounds like he's started to say bye bye. It's amazing to watch him change everyday. I can't believe he will be having a birthday is less than 4 months now. Time flies.

Other than being parents we live at home lol. We spend time with our friends occassionally (not as much as we'd like) but we do our best. We spend weekends with Harkey and Steph on a regular basis and occassionally hang out with Shane, our old neighbors, the Vargos (miss you guys) and the nursing girls. We recently went to Kerri's wedding and it was nice to have all the nursing girls back together again. It has been a while since we've all been together like that.

Hope to post more often now... can't make any promises though... I can promise to provide updates tho lol... Below are some pix to catch up with!

~*~ From June~*~



~*~ From July~*~



~*~ From August~*~



~*~ From September~*~



~*~ First Halloween~*~




~*~ Kerri and Jamie's Wedding ~*~

Life's a Beach... And Another Year Older

So I'm definitely slacking when it comes to having regular posts but I'm doing my best. My last one was 3 weeks ago so I'll try to update.

We went to the beach with my parents and we had a blast! We took Joey out on the beach the first day and he slept most of the time. We decided not to anymore because of the wind. Scary when they stop breathing =o) It was so nice there... just to relax was great. Joey did get to have his first experience with Barefoot Landing, the Boardwalk, and the strip (starting him out young haha). He got to do a lot of bonding with my parents as they were trying to give us a break from the 24/7 life of parenthood. The last night we were there Frankie and I got to enjoy a day at the pool, shopping at the Tanger Outlets, dinner at the Giant Crab and a round of putt putt.

The Sunday after we got home was Cameron's 10th birthday!!! It's hard to believe he's already 10. He was 2.5 when Frankie and I started dating. Time flies. I made him a dirt bike cake and we all enjoyed an outing at the park. The kids spent time riding bikes, flying planes, and playing with water guns. Nothing like a birthday party that's free =o)

Last week Frankie ripped his earlobe... yes you read correct... he ripped his earlobe. He was getting ready to leave work and was backing a car out. His earring got caught on the top of the door as he was getting in the car and when he sat down the earring ripped out. Needless to say we spent three hours in the ER and he got 7 stitches. I don't think he'll be putting them back in... at least that's what he says for now.

This past Sunday we became members of our church and we are so happy. It took us a while to make a decision on what church we wanted to attend. We knew we wanted a baptist church that wasn't too big. We decided to attend the church our good friends the Vargos attend and we are so pleased. The people here have made us feel so welcome and we love the preaching staff. We feel at home and are thrilled to be raising Joey in the church... not to mention we have introduced Cameron to it as well.

And a final note... I have an interview on Monday!!! I really hope this one works out. I will have quite a haul to work but I have to take what I can get =o) I have waited so long to put my nursing degree to good use. Fingers crossed!!

2 Months Old Already

Time flies... I'm not blogging ask frequently as I would like but at least I'm still doing it =o) It's hard to believe Joey is 2 months old!!! He turned 2 months on Mothers Day (awww). I received the sweetest card from him. I'm thinking about doing like that commercial on TV where the mother has all her cards in a box and is able to look at how the hand writing has changed over the years. Mother's day was relaxing and we were able to get professional pictures made. I'm glad I will have that memory to look back on.

Joey had his 2 month well visit last week and he is doing well. He is now a whopping 11 lbs 6.5oz. and 23.75 inches. He's gonna be a tall one. Not sure where he got the height... must be a Barnard thing because my cousin Rich is a tall one =o)

He has started sleeping in his crib which is wonderful! The first night was scary for me because I'm used to being able to roll over to check on him. It's nice having a monitor to calm the nerves. And Joey now LOVES diaper changes lol... what a difference from a month ago when he would scream his head off. He gives the biggest grins during the diaper changes now. I've noticed he also giggles a little whenever he poots with his diaper off lol. Must feel different or something. The best thing is he takes a binky now!!!! Yay!!! My fingers were literally getting blisters on them so I'm so glad. My mom and I went to a jewelry party at a friends house and her son and one other little boy were sucking on soothie pacies (the ones they give you at the hospital... we didn't get any). I decided to go to Walmart and buy some... Joey took to them right away.

Things around the house have been about the same. Frankie worked all week to get our new bathtub in and get the sheet rock done. It looks great! Now it's my turn to work. I have to mud the walls and start painting. I can't wait to see the finished product. The project took longer than expected b/c of the way the piping was done when the house was built. Frankie had to re-route most of it in order to get the new tub in. He refuses to take on another project like this in the future lol.

Below are some of Joey's 2month pictures and some of him with his new friends =o) These are some girls I met during our child birth class and we all had boys. We are hoping to keep in touch so that our kids can grow up and play together =o) The top picture is Thavy/Braylon Lori/Jared and me/Joey. The next one is me/Joey Nina/Leo and Lori/Jared.

Getting Big

Things with Joey are going great! He still has his fussy moments, but nothing someones pinky can't cure (he refuses to take a binky). He is still on his every three hour feeding schedule and occassionally that will stretch during the night to about 4-4.5 hours. He has started oohing and ahhing which is really cute to hear. He has also found his hands (which he loves to stick in his mouth). Frankie celebrated his 32nd birthday this past weekend. We went out to Shane's house and hung out. We cooked out, played pool, the boys had some drinks, and the kids had a blast playing together. It was nice. The next day we went to dinner with his parents and the boys. We also found a church that we love! We have been wanting to go for quite sometime but we knew it would be hard with Frankie working every other Sunday. With his new job he is off every Sunday. We decided to attend a church that our good friends the Vargos attend. We had such a great time we plan on becoming members =o) It's nice to know that Joey will be brought up in the church. Nana and Pawpaw are here for a few days. Joey has found a new resting spot on my dad's belly and he loves it =o) We've also discovered that my dads trick of singing/humming in a deep voice seems to work. Every time my dad does it Joey quits fussing. Wish I had the ability to do that lol. We are excited to take Joey on his first vacation in a couple of weeks. We will be going to the beach with Nana and Pawpaw... I can't wait! Below are some of Joey's one month photos and a video of him smiling =o) If you tickle his mouth with your finger or a cloth, he gets the biggest grin. I love seeing that everyday.

Long Overdue

Wow... I don't even know where to begin. Things have been kinda hectic. Joey has entered the one month crying phase lol. We thought he was colicky but after switching him to strickly formula he is doing much better. According to a piece of paper I got at the doctor... babies this age tend to cry more and may only be quiet during feedings and naps. Guess I should be thankful for the times I can get him to sit in his vibrating chair happily for 15-30 minutes lol.
Frankie got a job! He started a week after my mom left so she turned around and came back towards the end of the week. We are so thankful that he was able to find a job so fast but boy is he exhausted =o) He works 10+ hour days but its a job. I, of course, am still on the hunt for one so hopefully that will work out soon.
I had my postpartum doctor visit and everything was a-okay. Joey had his one month visit this past Friday. It's hard to believe he is already a month old! Other than the thrush returning (which led to a yeast infection on his lil bootie) he is a healthy baby! He is now 8lbs 13oz and 22in. long... he is getting so big. I'm starting to wonder where this height is coming from haha.
Today we are getting Joey's one month pictures taken and we plan to do a family picture as well. Other than that there is not much to share... Pawpaw is coming down in a few days hopefully so it will be nice for Joey to spend some time with him.
Below are some pictures. The Easter Bunny pic will always bring back memories... Joey was sleeping so I decided that would be a good time to take the picture... Nana decided she would help by getting Joey out of his stroller... needless to say she bonked him in the head with his glow worm and he woke up screaming... and continued screaming during his photo session... Thanks Nana lol

Coo Coo Ca-Chew

The other morning after being fed, Joey cooed himself to sleep in my lap. I thought it was cute so I grabbed the camera and caught a little bit of it before he drifted off to sleep =o)





His thrush has also cleared up =o)

Time Flies

It's hard to believe Joey will be two weeks old tomorrow. I swear it feels like we were just at the hospital to deliver him. He is now used to his feeding schedule of every 3 hours and is waking up on his own during the night. It's nice not having to set an alarm now =o) I was having some issues with the "baby blues" but his adju stment has helped that tremendously. We still hate having our diaper changed but I'm sure with time he will get used to it. We have been fortunate enough to have a diaper change here and there with no tears.
Joey ended up developing thrush (which we noticed last Thursday) but that is clearing up with the help of his antibiotic. He also lost him umbilical cord stump today. I know it's not supposed to be painful but I think it is. Anytime he would bump it within the last 24hrs. he would scream so it's a relief that it is off now.
Joey also had his first bath at home on Saturday. He loved it =o) I think the warm water and stimulation was a plus for him. He didn't fuss one bit. Other than that he has been enjoying time in his vibrating chair and on his play mat.
Nana left today but she plans to come back soon. Even though she didn't help out much with baby care, it was extremely helpful having her here to help with the household chores and dinner. It also helped having some extra moral support. I was able to catch on some sleep too while she watched Joey if Frankie was out of the house.