Every now and then, Blake and I have this amazing weekend that just knocks our socks off. This past weekend was one of them.
Friday night, we had our Sunday School get-together and it was SO fun! Blake & I played charades with about twenty of our closest pals! And ate food. And laughed. And stayed up WAY too late (until 10:30 p.m. - too much, right!?).
When we picked up Maleah from Parents Night Out (like how that coincided with our get-together? Perfectly planned!), she was WIDE AWAKE. At 9:30 p.m. This is the kid who sleeps something fierce, so this was very unusual. Of course, she was out like a light once the car started going. But, when we got her out of the car seat and into some pajamas, she was wound up again. She was still crawling around in her bed at 10:30 when I turned on the sound machine and walked away... I figured, she'll crash eventually.
And, boy, did she crash! Blake and I were up by about 7am, but she was still asleep. So, we let her sleep. While she slept, Blake and I talked about some things we've never really discussed before. We talked about the time when we were both "saved". At length. We discussed points in our lives when we really felt God changing us and how difficult it was to adjust to a new life.
We woke Maleah up at 9 a.m. and fed her while we watched a little Shark Tank. We all got dressed and ready and hopped in the car to go to Birmingham! Aunt Ashley offered some free baby-sitting, so we dropped off the baby and bee-lined for Patton Creek. Blake and I went to lunch at Zoe's where we made decisions about new vehicles (we're not getting one, for the record! Corolla all the way!), discussed how much I love feta cheese, and examined our teeth. Turns out, Blake and I both have crooked bottom teeth that don't line up with the top. I will probably be getting braces in the next few years... ANYWAY.
After lunch, we went to Buy, Buy Baby to buy Maleah a new carseat. (What else do parents do on dates?) This took well over an hour because we have a small car and needed to see the seat in the car before we could purchase. Thankfully, they let us test it out and we wound up with a Chicco NextFit for 30% off. Score!
The car seat purchase led to a quick trip to DSW where Blake "let" me buy some cute shoes. Then we were off to the movies - loaded up with popcorn, a huge Coke, and even huger 3-D glasses for GRAVITY. The movie was amazing!
After the movie, it was time to go get our little girl. She was very happy to see us and we were so happy to see her! She slept during the drive while Blake and I talked about all sorts of different things. He told me stories about his time in Peru and I googled the different animals and places he was telling me about. I learned how to escape the grip of an anaconda. He told me about the different snakes and spiders (I googled them and creeped myself out). And he told me about the time he went over a whirlpool (in a boat) on the Amazon. I didn't have such amazing stories to tell, so I just listened!
Sunday was great, too. We went to church, ran to Wal-Mart after, took a good long nap and just spent some time together as a family.
This past weekend left me feeling refreshed and excited about being married to my amazing husband. We are still learning new things about each other every day and this weekend was full of discoveries!
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Monday, October 7, 2013
Maleah at 8 & 9 Months
I forgot to post at 8 months, so we'll just do a combination 8/9 months since Maleah is now 8.5 months. Are you okay with that? Good. Let's get started! :)
Stats
I think she weighs around 18 pounds and I don't even have a clue how long she is! She seems tall but not tall at the same time. All I know is the girl has some chunky, chunky thighs!!! I love 'em!
Schedule
6:30 ~ wake up, 7 oz bottle, get ready for the day
8:15 ~ breakfast (oatmeal and a little fruit) with sippy cup of water
9:30/10 ~ 6 oz bottle
10:30 ~ nap
12:15 ~ lunch (fruit or veggie) with sippy cup of water
1:30/2 ~ 6 oz bottle
2:30 ~ nap
5:30/6 ~ dinner (veggie) with sippy cup of water
7 ~ bath, 7 oz bottle, bed time
Of course she doesn't follow this to a "T" every day. I am much less regimented about her "schedule" now that she's older because she's a little more predictable, so going 30 minutes one way or the other doesn't seem to shake her little rhythm as much as it used to. And, she's at home 4 days a week and at school 3 days a week and the two can never be exactly the same!
Eating/Solids
We realized Maleah wasn't taking as much formula as usual, so we stopped trying to force it down her throat! We were trying to give her five seven-ounce bottles a day. Usually she'd take 4-5 ounces, then we'd try to convince her about an hour later to finish off the bottle. It wasn't happening. So, I looked online (thank you Internet!) and realized that 35 oz/day was on the high end of the scale. We started giving her two seven-ounce bottles and two five- or six-ounce bottles instead. That has worked wonderfully! She gets the exact same amount she was before, except we aren't chasing her around with a bottle all day! I am starting to try to make her purees thicker and also let her try more table food. She doesn't seem to like purees with chunks but she'll eat purees and she'll eat bites of food. But mix the two together and she'll projectile vomit everywhere! It's awesome! :) Some new things she's tried recently: corn, baked potato, butternut squash, and Greek chicken. She is starting to like the sippy cup more - I'd say she might drink an ounce of water at each meal.
OH!!! I can't believe I'm about to type this, but we are totally having to do a dream feed again! Not every night, but some nights she won't take her night time bottle. And when she doesn't take her night time bottle, she wakes up like a crazy person in the middle of the night! This makes me think she doesn't get enough formula during the day, but we can't force the kid to take any more than she already does. Little tummy, just like mama.
Activity
Maleah has been pulling up on things for a few weeks now and it's clear to see she prefers standing to sitting! She cruises a little, but not much. Her favorite new thing is to climb over obstacles. My legs, Blake's face, a cardboard box... she seems to love a challenge! This has also meant she's taken a few dives head-first into the floor, but she seems to like that part, too! Lately I honed in on what sounds she can make after reading about the consonants babies her age should be able to pronounce. She makes sounds with: D, B/P, M (Ma-ma-ma-ma!), and most recently - G. I love listening to her "talk"!
Personality
This kid. She is so funny to watch. She likes people, but she is still just so shy and reserved. And she puts her little bottom lip under the top and gets this serious look about her when she's deep in thought or trying to figure someone/something out.
Other (You might need Kleenex...)
Last night, I was rocking Maleah before bed and we were playing with her pacifier. She thinks it's so funny when I put the paci in my mouth and try to keep it from her. Then she was hitting me in the face with it, which was even more hysterical to her! And then this little moment happened. She was playing with the pacifier in her own mouth and just started staring into my eyes. It took me back to the first time I held her and she looked straight into my eyes. Each time I look into those little baby blues, I remember what a gift God has given me in Maleah. I mentioned in my last post that I have had problems with my reproductive organs for many years. At 15, I had endometriosis and had surgery to remove the spots. At 16, a doctor told me I would have difficulty conceiving. At 23, I was told I had PCOS. So becoming pregnant with Maleah and having a healthy pregnancy are not things I take for granted, ever. And now that I only have one ovary, I treasure these little moments with her even more because I have no idea what the future holds for growing our family. But what I know now is that God gave me this sweet little girl and I don't want to let the little moments slip away. (You can cry now!)
Stats
I think she weighs around 18 pounds and I don't even have a clue how long she is! She seems tall but not tall at the same time. All I know is the girl has some chunky, chunky thighs!!! I love 'em!
Schedule
6:30 ~ wake up, 7 oz bottle, get ready for the day
8:15 ~ breakfast (oatmeal and a little fruit) with sippy cup of water
9:30/10 ~ 6 oz bottle
10:30 ~ nap
12:15 ~ lunch (fruit or veggie) with sippy cup of water
1:30/2 ~ 6 oz bottle
2:30 ~ nap
5:30/6 ~ dinner (veggie) with sippy cup of water
7 ~ bath, 7 oz bottle, bed time
Of course she doesn't follow this to a "T" every day. I am much less regimented about her "schedule" now that she's older because she's a little more predictable, so going 30 minutes one way or the other doesn't seem to shake her little rhythm as much as it used to. And, she's at home 4 days a week and at school 3 days a week and the two can never be exactly the same!
Eating/Solids
We realized Maleah wasn't taking as much formula as usual, so we stopped trying to force it down her throat! We were trying to give her five seven-ounce bottles a day. Usually she'd take 4-5 ounces, then we'd try to convince her about an hour later to finish off the bottle. It wasn't happening. So, I looked online (thank you Internet!) and realized that 35 oz/day was on the high end of the scale. We started giving her two seven-ounce bottles and two five- or six-ounce bottles instead. That has worked wonderfully! She gets the exact same amount she was before, except we aren't chasing her around with a bottle all day! I am starting to try to make her purees thicker and also let her try more table food. She doesn't seem to like purees with chunks but she'll eat purees and she'll eat bites of food. But mix the two together and she'll projectile vomit everywhere! It's awesome! :) Some new things she's tried recently: corn, baked potato, butternut squash, and Greek chicken. She is starting to like the sippy cup more - I'd say she might drink an ounce of water at each meal.
OH!!! I can't believe I'm about to type this, but we are totally having to do a dream feed again! Not every night, but some nights she won't take her night time bottle. And when she doesn't take her night time bottle, she wakes up like a crazy person in the middle of the night! This makes me think she doesn't get enough formula during the day, but we can't force the kid to take any more than she already does. Little tummy, just like mama.
Activity
Maleah has been pulling up on things for a few weeks now and it's clear to see she prefers standing to sitting! She cruises a little, but not much. Her favorite new thing is to climb over obstacles. My legs, Blake's face, a cardboard box... she seems to love a challenge! This has also meant she's taken a few dives head-first into the floor, but she seems to like that part, too! Lately I honed in on what sounds she can make after reading about the consonants babies her age should be able to pronounce. She makes sounds with: D, B/P, M (Ma-ma-ma-ma!), and most recently - G. I love listening to her "talk"!
Personality
This kid. She is so funny to watch. She likes people, but she is still just so shy and reserved. And she puts her little bottom lip under the top and gets this serious look about her when she's deep in thought or trying to figure someone/something out.
Other (You might need Kleenex...)
Last night, I was rocking Maleah before bed and we were playing with her pacifier. She thinks it's so funny when I put the paci in my mouth and try to keep it from her. Then she was hitting me in the face with it, which was even more hysterical to her! And then this little moment happened. She was playing with the pacifier in her own mouth and just started staring into my eyes. It took me back to the first time I held her and she looked straight into my eyes. Each time I look into those little baby blues, I remember what a gift God has given me in Maleah. I mentioned in my last post that I have had problems with my reproductive organs for many years. At 15, I had endometriosis and had surgery to remove the spots. At 16, a doctor told me I would have difficulty conceiving. At 23, I was told I had PCOS. So becoming pregnant with Maleah and having a healthy pregnancy are not things I take for granted, ever. And now that I only have one ovary, I treasure these little moments with her even more because I have no idea what the future holds for growing our family. But what I know now is that God gave me this sweet little girl and I don't want to let the little moments slip away. (You can cry now!)
Friday, September 13, 2013
Comps, Surgery, Santa Rosa
The past three weeks have been absolutely nuts-o in the Ball household. Scratch that - the past three months have been nuts-o in the Ball household. We moved, we changed daycare schedules, Blake took comps, I had surgery, Maleah started sprouting teeth...
Really, I'm complaining about nothing. Things haven't been that bad - just different. And this coming week, Blake is going to California for nine days - right after I just had abdominal surgery! We're crazy.
Comps
Blake's PhD comps started the last week of August and ended this past Friday. Anyone who has not lived through this has truly not lived! Comps are every bit as awful as they sound. It's just a terrible time for the whole family because the person taking comps, in our case - Blake, becomes a different person. He was staying up late at night, constantly worried, constantly reading, easily frustrated, etc. I feel like I earned a PhD, too, because somehow I managed to stay relatively sane during all of it, as well. But, comps are over and now all my husband has to do is write a small book, have it approved, and get a job! Yay! We are praying that he will be able to secure a job for Fall 2015. Praying!
Surgery
On Monday, I had surgery to remove an ovarian cyst. The cyst turned out to be a teratoma (google it, it's really gross!) that had caused damage to my ovary, so my ovary also had to be removed. The surgery was laparoscopic so the damage isn't too extensive, but it has definitely been painful! This is the second surgery I have had like this, so I was a little nervous going in. At 16, I had my appendix removed and while they were in there, they also found that I had endometriosis and removed those adhesions. So, naturally, having a second surgery on my reproductive organs was unnerving. My doctor said that everything looked great, though. She did see some spots of endometriosis, but nothing concerning and she actually left those spots where they were because they have not caused any problems.
Santa Rosa
Blake is leaving tomorrow to go to California on a research trip. Yay for him. That means Maleah and I will be roughin' it (literally, since I still am not "allowed" to pick her up). Thankfully we have help lined up all week and I will just enjoy the time with my sweet girl and our helpful friends and family! Blake wanted me to be able to go on this trip with him because he went by himself last year. After having to use a lot of my PTO for sick time (for me and Maleah) since January, we decided that I should stay home and save up my PTO. Well... now I'm using all my precious PTO to heal from surgery but... WHATEVER! I will get to go to Santa Rosa eventually!
That's about it for us. I haven't blogged in so long and for that, I'm sorry. I promise to get back to it. But I am running out of topics other than my boring life. So if anyone has anything they'd like me to discuss, let me know! You name it, I'll write about it!
Really, I'm complaining about nothing. Things haven't been that bad - just different. And this coming week, Blake is going to California for nine days - right after I just had abdominal surgery! We're crazy.
Comps
Blake's PhD comps started the last week of August and ended this past Friday. Anyone who has not lived through this has truly not lived! Comps are every bit as awful as they sound. It's just a terrible time for the whole family because the person taking comps, in our case - Blake, becomes a different person. He was staying up late at night, constantly worried, constantly reading, easily frustrated, etc. I feel like I earned a PhD, too, because somehow I managed to stay relatively sane during all of it, as well. But, comps are over and now all my husband has to do is write a small book, have it approved, and get a job! Yay! We are praying that he will be able to secure a job for Fall 2015. Praying!
Surgery
On Monday, I had surgery to remove an ovarian cyst. The cyst turned out to be a teratoma (google it, it's really gross!) that had caused damage to my ovary, so my ovary also had to be removed. The surgery was laparoscopic so the damage isn't too extensive, but it has definitely been painful! This is the second surgery I have had like this, so I was a little nervous going in. At 16, I had my appendix removed and while they were in there, they also found that I had endometriosis and removed those adhesions. So, naturally, having a second surgery on my reproductive organs was unnerving. My doctor said that everything looked great, though. She did see some spots of endometriosis, but nothing concerning and she actually left those spots where they were because they have not caused any problems.
Santa Rosa
Blake is leaving tomorrow to go to California on a research trip. Yay for him. That means Maleah and I will be roughin' it (literally, since I still am not "allowed" to pick her up). Thankfully we have help lined up all week and I will just enjoy the time with my sweet girl and our helpful friends and family! Blake wanted me to be able to go on this trip with him because he went by himself last year. After having to use a lot of my PTO for sick time (for me and Maleah) since January, we decided that I should stay home and save up my PTO. Well... now I'm using all my precious PTO to heal from surgery but... WHATEVER! I will get to go to Santa Rosa eventually!
That's about it for us. I haven't blogged in so long and for that, I'm sorry. I promise to get back to it. But I am running out of topics other than my boring life. So if anyone has anything they'd like me to discuss, let me know! You name it, I'll write about it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)