Me? Crafty? Never.

What is it about having a child that turns on your "creative" switch. Before Abby, I didn't care too much about crafts, art.. anything like that. I definitely appreciated others' works, but I was never inspired I suppose. Now, all I want to do is go to a craft store and make picture frames, hair pieces, outfit accessories, organizers.. you name it, I want to make it! Some recent things are cute hair pieces (bows, flowers.. etc) picture frames (with Abby's help.. footprints and what not) and most recently, costumes!! I never thought I would get THIS excited for Halloween when she is only 4 months old, but here I am. Three costumes later. Still not Halloween. She's dressed up 4 times already! I have saved the best costume for the actual day.. and I say best because I am personally obsessed with giraffes.. and so naturally she is going to be one. Now.. the costume itself was pretty darn cute.. but something was missing. What do I do? Spruce it up with my new creative touch, that's what. Now, her ordinary, but VERY cute costume is complete with a nice big pink polka-dotted bow. Needles and thread.. glue guns.. ribbon..?! Something I never EVER thought I'd be playing around with.. and yet, here I am. I also added my own newly-found personal flare to her other outfits too. I am not a "girlie girl" by any means.. but my daughter is transforming me a bit.. and she is definitely getting treated like one!
Next blog will definitely showcase some of my additions.. while I parade my unknowing child around like a prized pig for my own personal satisfaction.

Why I hate the Internet.

Ok.. here comes a rant! I am pretty upset. Friday, Abby went to her 4 month appointment and the doctor asked the same usual questions..
Does she respond to your voice.. Yes
Can she support her head.. Yes
Does she smile .. Yes
Does she coo.. Yes
Does she follow objects with her eyes.. Yes
How many times does she eat a day.. 6-8
How many wet diapers.. too many to count
How many poopy diapers.. every 6 days or so
How long does she sleep at night.. 6-8 hours unless its day 4+ of not pooping
Pause..

What does the stool look like.. (not going to go into detail to spare you guys..)
Hmm..
You went off dairy right? Are you still off of it?.. No.. there were no changes so I went back on like you suggested.
Is she a happy baby.. She is a lot happier, but still gets upset randomly and seems to be in pain.. like I said 2-3 months ago.. and she doesn't get a lot of sleep when she hasn't pooped..

Ok.. I am going to order a stool test, because it sounds like she has colitis or some sort of irritation with her intestines and that there is a good possibility there is blood in her stool from her GI tract...

WHAT?! So now you think something is wrong? Its the same stuff from 2 months ago (see Spoke too soon..) and just NOW we are getting tests done?? AHH

Ok.. I understand when you hear from someone.. "My baby cries a lot and strains to poop".. that is basically what all babies do. But when I say that she screams sometime in pain and that she cries A LOT.. AND that she doesnt poop, maybe.. just MAYBE you should investigate just a little bit to be on the safe side..!
Ugh.. ok.. breathe.. ok.. ....
The reason I am so upset is that I started looking online.. like any normal, concerned mom would do... you know, some personal investigation on the situations that may arise..
And what pops up EVERYWHERE? Crohn's disease. And ever symptom fits my little girl. I know, I know.. don't jump to conclusions.. but its really hard not to.
I have KNOWN something was up for a long time.. and that something is just not right. A mother just knows.. and I am definitely not one of those paranoid moms that question everything they touch.. every time they sneeze.. etc.
So now I have a lab test to send in of her stool. Doing that today.. and just want to wait there at the Lab to see if there is blood in there. I'm... 99% sure there is. And maybe it isn't Crohn's.. I hope to hell it isn't.. but something is still wrong if there is. And that means that Abby has been uncomfortable for all this time when maybe it could have been treated.. and so I'm mad.
First it was the tongue tie that my Ped wouldn't snip (or any other doctor in the region for that matter..) and now its this. I'm thinking I need to change doctors.. although.. she is extremely nice and I'm sure she thought I was just an overly concerned first-time mother.. and every other doctor out there could have done the same thing.. but.. ahh!
Guess we'll find out...

End Rant.

Thriving Thursdays

Thriving Tuesdays?

My camera battery died last week and I just got the charger back today.. so this is last weeks!

All Smiles :)

The video was accidentally cut off.. but I promise.. the cuteness continuted!

Dear Abby

Today, I love you just a little bit more than yesterday.. if that is even possible.

I am very excited for today. Tuesdays last year, while you were snuggled in my stomach, I would rehearse with the University Wind Ensemble (orchestra without strings) and give you an earfull of the saxophone for 3 hours straight every week. Now, the University has asked me to come back and sing with the the ensemble.. so what does that mean for you? A front row seat (well.. further than front row so you don't get blasted away) to seeing the band all in action while your mommy rehearses. I am so excited to see how you will react to the music that you heard for 9 months. I realize now that it has been 5 months now since I have touched my saxophone or trumpet.. which is pretty sad.. but you do sit on my lap and watch me play the piano, and I do take you to Kindermusik, AND I sing non-stop everywhere I go, so you get more than your fill of music. But there is just something magical about listening to a live band that I can't really explain, but I am certain you will feel it too.

On that note, I must cut this short because you just woke up and are talking up a storm. You are in the best mood EVER when you wake up and I don't like missing it.. maybe I'll snag a video of the morning smiles :)

Love you pumpkin
Mommy

Updates!

So I haven't really been blogging very much lately... This is not because I don't have anything to talk about! For the past two 1/2 weeks I have been going through house purchasing hell! To make a long story short I moved when I was pregnant to a different town. My mom also lives in this town and the day I left my job to go on maternity leave, my mom started working there! So, we both live about 45 minutes away from work. After Abby was born we started talking and decided to buy a house and live.. somewhat together. Now originally I told myself I would never move back home or live with either of my parents for as long as I lived! I am very stubborn and love my independence. While I feel that my dignity is taking a small kick in the gut, I have realized just how nice it is to have someone to help me with Abby when I need a breather. And financially it is cheaper than having a house by myself.. so I can start putting money in Abby's savings account. Anyways.. around three weeks ago we found the perfect house for us that has two separate living spaces and decided to put in an offer. After all the back and forths the offer was finally accepted. We went to the bank before looking, to know what we could afford. After the offer was accepted, the bank put it through again and said that because my mom had just started a new job she doesn't qualify. WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US THAT THE FIRST TIME!!!!!!!!! UGH! So.. there goes our happy bubble.. bursted by the bank! Thankfully after two stressful weeks of shopping around and providing ridiculous amounts of financial and employment history with the bank, we are officially approved for financing..

The closing date is now less than a month away and I am so excited. This place is so great for Abby... lots of play space, bigger room.. nice back yard and neighbour hood.. close to a park.. and there are French schools here! She would have had to take a 3 hour bus ride every day like I had to and be far away from her friends. Now, she is just a short 5 minute drive away!

Another bonus.. all my friends live in this city. With a newborn, you don't really get out much and it was far for them to visit all the time. When I moved, I left my old life and a large part of my heart, but thought it was best for Abby so she could be closer to her father. I don't regret trying to live here.. I would have regretted not trying.. And in the end it is working out better than I thought it would and I will get that piece of my heart back and Abby will get more visits and love from all her unofficial aunts and uncles!! AND I get to set up her nursery all over again! Maybe I'll do something a bit different.. who knows! All I know.. is that I better start packing now..! Who knows how much time Abby is going to let me have to do it!

Wordless Wednesday

What are we doing today mom?Couldn't keep her eyes of them the whole trip.

Thriving Thursdays

Late Night Adventures

Wordless Wednesday

Abby and her boyfriend Cayden

Zumba!

Alright, as much as I love that I have a beautiful, healthy baby girl, it has to be said that I miss my ME time. One of my favorite things to do was go to Zumba classes before I got pregnant. It is a great workout, but that isn't why I do it. I just LOVE the dance moves and the music!! Reality hit me very fast after my csection that I was not going to be able to be as active as I had hoped. Even after 3 months I am still a bit sore.. but feel ready to start getting active again. I decided that since I am not going to be able to go to the classes for quite some time, that I should get some DVDs to do it at home. The DVDs just came today so I can't wait to put it on and do some MUCH MISSED Zumba! Abby should be pretty entertained while I'm dancing all over the place and I can do it at my own pace if I get sore. Maybe there will even be some steps that I can do with her too! Who knows!

As for updates on Abby, I have noticed a pretty big difference in how she is since the tongue tie snip. I don't know if it is because she is growing out of her fussy stage, or if she is just able to get more to eat, but she is a lot happier! For a good chunk of her life so far there was NO WAY I would be able to just have her cuddling with me, sit in a chair, or be by herself. She needed to be bounced around if she wasn't eating or sleeping. Now, she amuses herself for quite some time and rarely needs me to bounce her around. One of her favorite things to do is squeal. It is pretty loud.. and really high pitched.. but I LOVE it! Her eyes and her smile are just SO big when she does it and I know she is in a happy bliss! She is also getting very good at grabbing the objects around her, especially her feet! This made it really hard during the photo shoot to have props around because she kept on grabbing them!

What's this?

Oh look, a leaf!More leaves here!

Needless to say, it took a while to get her settled! Curious little pumpkin bum!

The First of Many..

It happened! And by "it" I mean.. the photo shoot!!! I was really happy with how it went, but also realized how ridiculously hard it is to capture babies in action! You see all these great shots of so many babies and think.. I could do that..! Well..! Props to the pros because they have a lot more talent than me. I did, however, manage to capture some pretty great shots (couldn't have done it without my friend Des though!) and these are some of my favorites that were captured. I haven't edited any of them, but definitely will be.. so I'll have to dedicate a blog to "before and afters" of them. I can't tell you enough how extremely happy I am with my camera splurge.. I think I have found a new hobby! Good thing Abby seems to like to model!!

Alright, alright.. enough talk, more pictures.. right? Here you go.

I know they aren't the BEST pictures in the world, but I am pretty happy with them! Especially since this is the first attempt..!

Until the next shoot..!