This week is creeping by!

Usually the week flies by but this one has been creeping very slowly. Anyhow, Carter went back to preschool this week and is still liking it. He's still well and I guess it still hasn't been enough time to make friends because he claims he doesn't have any yet. Not sure I believe that. He goes back today.

Aubree and Carter had dentist appointments yesterday and they both have NO cavities! Carter has never had any. Aubree has had one when she was 5. He said Carter may start losing his teeth soon but it's hard to tell and Aubree still has 3 to lose before we will know if she needs braces. I hope not!!

Last night we celebrated Aunt Wanda or I had better call her Nannie (spelling?) or Carter will get upset. Ha! We had a good time and ate some good food, especially Carter. He had about 5 Hershey Kisses (thanks Hunter) and cake with ice cream for dinner. Aubree too with her 2 BBQ sandwiches, chicken wing, and dessert. I won't even detail what Brian ate. You would think my family was starving!

About Caleb...there's no way to put it except he has been grumpy this week but he did finally sleep good last night. Not sure if he's missing his old feeding habits. Poor guy!

Hoping for rain or even a flood from Hurricane Issac to bring us somewhat out of this drought but just noted the projected path. Surely we'll get something!

Caleb is 11 months old!

I can't believe in less than 1 month my little baby will be 1 year old!! This has been the fastest year of my life. The poor little guy is still battling a cold. He's been sick ever since the last round of immunizations.

Some big news is that we found a milk that he loves besides his mommy's! Sorry if that's TMI but it's been a huge part of life at "The Smith House" for 11 months. He would NOT take formula no matter what!! Not even with chocolate syrup. Finally got the ok from his pediatrician to transition him to whole milk and he loved it but within 5 minutes broke out in a rash and hives! Ahhhh!! So I gave him a week to get over that and found vanilla flavored soy milk at Kroger. It actually has more calcium and other minerals in it than whole milk and is organic. He loves it! By the end of the week it will be all he's getting as this factory is shutting down! Ha!

He's standing up in his 11 month picture! He'll be walking before long!

Sick!! Yuck!!

So...like I said earlier Carter has only stayed with us and my inlaws. I have been overprotective at times, I know. I have always felt so bad for all that I missed with Aubree and the sickness she encountered at the babysitters or daycare while I was in college.

I knew Carter was going to get sick here and there after starting preschool but not the first night!!! Geez!!! He was up all night with a stomach virus and it was a nasty one. He's never been sick like that. Heartbreaking!

I was just on the verge of having a major hissy fit considering Brian, Caleb, and I are already feeling crappy with a cold (which Carter now also has) BUT then I thought of Kate Krull and all they've been through with Lucy. There are lots of people in this world who would give anything to only have a cold go through their family and one night of cleaning up puke. So, for the first time ever, I thanked God for just a stomach bug.

Also, the nurse in me wanted to call and ask if they are allowing sick kids to come to school and are they cleaning?!? NO...Lindsey...remember all the Lysol etc you had to buy for supplies...just chill, kids are gonna get sick.

I'm happy to report that by noon he was back to his old self! He wanted spaghetti o's but got only clear liquids and Popsicles.

Carter goes to Preschool

My sweet Carter started preschool on Tuesday. He has stayed with me and Brian for almost 4 years. The only others who have kept him are Brian's parents. Guess its time to let him go make friends. He will only go on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I will have some one-on-one time with Caleb for the first time.

I packed his favorite lunch in his Cars lunchbox. Brian took him shoe shopping over the weekend and he loves his new "cool" shoes. He says they have springs in them that make him jump high. Haha!

Work all night...sleep all day

Yeah, that title sums up my weekend. It's been so busy at work that I worked (insert drumroll) 4 shifts last week. That would be 48 hours. Geez!! I think my new diet has given me more energy. Since I went part-time I feel like I've really conquered something if I work a third shift. Anyhow, worked my overtime for the first time in a year so I'm good for a year now. Ha!

Speaking of the healthy diet, Aubree is about to lose her mind if I don't go buy some junk food. She cried for a cookie the other night (brat) and puked twice in my kitchen sink this morning after eating about 1/4 bowl of oatmeal...thanks Aub!! Whatever, she's gonna have to adjust. I'm sure she eats plenty of junk elsewhere!

Today has been so nice outside. The boys and I spent an hour outside playing with a nice soundtrack of Mexican music courtesy of the guys laying bricks next door. ;)

Caleb is 10 months old...almost 11!

I figure since I'm sitting here wide awake at 0540 I'd do Caleb's 10 month update considering he's nearly 11 months old now.

At 10 months he has 8 teeth, can stand alone very briefly, loves getting into drawers and cabinets, loves eating, takes 2 naps a day, still is a biter and hair puller. This boy will eat anything. I've started feeding him the same food that we eat a dinner just mashed up. He loves potatoes, rice, eggs. I only feed him organic baby food. It's not only better for him but has a wider variety to choose from like pumpkin, strawberry, blueberry, peach. He loves the spinach, apple, and blueberry combo. Of course he's still breastfeeding. I'm told I'll be sad when it's over...

I'm including a pic of our awesome looking yard thanks to Brian's hard work and dedication as well as a sprinkler that could water a football field. It looks great and we are the leaders in the Oak Creek subdivision lawn competition. Too bad our neighbors are not aware that there is a competition and my husband is the judge! Lol!

Ready for Fall!

Is anyone else over this awful heat and drought? Geez! It did rain late last night here in Atoka but I miss spending most of the days outside with the boys. It's just miserable. So ready for football, I mean Fall! ;)

This week is kinda an "off" week. I worked Monday night to help out so it's thrown our schedule all off. Last week I made a decision to start getting into shape and eating healthier. It's hard to eat healthy. I've lived off fried and fattening foods and cupcakes my entire life. I have to admit that I felt like total crap last week too. I guess my body is kinda like "hey, what are you doing? I'm gonna need you to go buy some cupcakes!" Ughh...so what brought this on? Well...I already have high cholesterol and blood pressure. Yes, you can be a skinny bitch, pardon the language, and be unhealthy BUT the big kicker was my dad spending about a week in the hospital. God love him, the man is a bit of a cardiac mess and he just may be eligible for a guiness world record for stents. It is genetic but he has spent over 40 years eating in truck stops etc. Although I don't eat at truck stops, well maybe sometimes (I am a truckers daughter) I don't want to have the problems he does and I know he doesn't want that for me either.

So, I am taking baby steps to improve my diet as well as my family. First, I'm starting my days off with a bowl of oatmeal. Just plain oatmeal. Do I love it? Heck no but it is heart healthy and keeps me feeling full. If it comes in wheat or whole grain, such as pastas and breads, that's what we are eating. Carter had no idea those ritz crackers he had yesterday were whole wheat. I've also cut back on portions and am being careful to snack in moderation. For example, I always cook 6 rolls with dinner. I usually eat 2 sometimes 3. I only had one last night. For my snacks, I eat them from a measuring cup and am usually over it before I'm done.

One of my biggest weaknesses in this whole wide world :) is sweets! I have always craved sweets after meals. My dad said I was raised that way. I have always been a little obsessed with cupcakes. Brian has told me before it's one of the things he loves about me, I think he called it a quirky cupcake fetish. Anyhow, I just stumbled upon cupcake flavored goldfish last week at Kroger! And they're whole grain!! What?!?! They're good too and totally satisfy my sweet craving.

I love to snack and so do my kids. It drives Brian crazy. My new favorite snack is Greek yogurt. Omg it's so delicious! And fat free, high in protein! I'll take it. I've been eating Oikos vanilla and honey flavors by Dannon but have tried the Chobani apple cinnamon and it was like apple pie. Also, there is Oikos plain that I use as a sub for sour cream.

I started working out too. I want to start running. I plan to do the couch to 5k if it will ever get below 300 degrees outside. I know if I try in this heat that I'll die, seriously, and I can't get out early in the morning when it's cool because I can't leave the kids here alone although that seems to be the going thing in this part of the country. So until I can start running I've been working out here and Carter and Aubree join me and made me feel good. Carter laid down 2 minutes into it and said he was too hot and Aubree would stop and start doing these weird stretches like she was a gymnast...whatever she was about to pass out and didn't want to admit it. Lol!

So basically I'm just watching what I eat by trying to cut back on foods high in trans fat and cholesterol and increase fiber and protein and all those other good minerals. Brian is trying too. He works out at work in their company gym and has started drinking water and has cut back on carbs.

I am not trying to lose weight but I'm sure that I will. My daily caloric intake should be around 2500 and it's very hard to meet that when you're trying to eat healthy and you're still breastfeeding...so if I start to look emaciated please go get me a cheeseburger. I won't be offended. Lol!

Including some pics of my new favorite snacks and Carter wanted me to take a pic of him, Buzz Lightyear, and his spiderman slippers that he outgrew over a year ago.

I have a 5th grader! Where does time go?

I'm so behind on posting updates/pics. All 3 kids are still sleeping. I'm waiting for Brian to get home from work so I can take Aubree to register for the 5th grade...oh my! This will be her last year at Atoka Elementary and she'll be off to Brighton Middle.

Carter starts pre-school at Gateway Baptist Church in a couple weeks. He will go on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He will only be down the street and I can actually see the church from my backyard if I look hard enough! Haha!

Caleb is 10 months old and I'm just posting his 9 month old pic. Oh well! He is pulling up and walking in a walker. He's into everything. He had mashed potatoes from the table last night and smiled with every bite. He does a lot of babbling and says "mama", finally. He waves bye-bye. So cute!