ta da!

Alright, I finally followed through.

Here are pictures of our family on Easter. There are only a few of Layne in his cute little outfit because he promptly pooped out of his diaper and got the white onesie not so white anymore!

Okay, only 3 tonight. Seems like my computer wants to be a pain in the rear and it has taken me 30 minutes to get these up!!

I will be sure to post more when I can. :)



Thanks for indulging me! :)

XO

*whew*

Here I am!!! :)

I have been meaning to come post, but have been so busy with life. Sheesh!! Going from 1 to 2 kids is quite the challenge. I guess I had heard that this is the hardest adjustment - but, I chose to ignore it for fear of freaking myself out! LOL

We are doing well. Layne is getting into somewhat of a routine at night. He will nurse at about 10 and then go to bed for the night in his cradle. And he will wake about every 3-4 hours after that. But, we are getting him to bed at that time...which is a start. He was wide-eyed and bushy-tailed wanting to look at his toys at 11 and 12 at night. So, we will take progress when it comes!

I am in the midst of Andy's vacation time. Can someone shoot me now for actually ASKING for this?!?! haha It's nice to have him home, but he completely interferes with my daily routine. Thankfully, he found a job to keep him busy for awhile. Looks like I will need to give him another task once he is done. Keeping him busy is key. Just like my kids....keep them busy and distracted and they won't peeve you too bad. hahaha

I have to upload my pictures to my computer from Easter. I will be sure to come back and post a few pictures that I got of us. It was a nice day!! But, going to church was like completing an Army mission...without the Army support. haha It took all I could to get to church...only to get to church and have to nurse Layne. And I am still not into the routine of wearing appropriate nursing clothes...and well, you can imagine how that scene ended. :) I will leave it at that...

Alright, I will leave you with this layout. One for our family Christmas album. Look at how tiny Bayleigh is! Anyway, this is one I finished pre-Layne. I am still working on getting my mojo back and finding the time to actually sit down and scrap.

And I will be back to post pictures later on this evening!

XO

a tisket, a tasket

Okay, gotta post some more pictures of my baby boy. :) And yes, he is in a little basket. He is laying on a pillow that I stuffed down in there. I couldn't resist. I mean, I won't be able to do this very long. Have to get him used to my torture now. haha

I decided to take some of him in just his diaper. To remember how tiny his little hands, feet, legs, and all his part are. He was asleep until I laid him down in the basket and then he was bright-eyed and not too happy with me clicking away in his face.

Here he is.... Layne at 2.5 weeks old.


He was fairly cooperative. :) And look at those tiny hands and feet!!! This is why I scrapbook - to remember these days.

Layne had a fussy day today. He loves to go for walks though. And our daily walk to get Bayleigh from school was the highlight of his day. Hopefully, he will sleep well tonight. He was up until almost 1 am last night.

Alright, off to change a poopy diaper.

my two cuties

So, I had to take some St. Patrick's Day pictures of the kids together. Little Layne in his "Kiss me, I'm Irish" onesie and Bayleigh decked out in her finest of green. :) And tell me that Bayleigh didn't enjoy holding her brother and smiling for the camera.

Here they are....



How fun is that?? It is so neat to watch Bayleigh try to take care of him and hold him. She constantly tries to console him when he cries....telling him that "it's okay" and "sissy's here." I will enjoy it while it lasts. I know that as soon as he becomes mobile - it will all be over.

Here is my little man all suited up and getting quite uncomfortable being held by his sister's tired arms...


Just wanted to share those pictures with ya. I have tons more to share too....I can't help taking pictures almost everyday of him. He's just irresistible. So cute!! :)

Have a great day!

XO

Still here...

I am still here. Barely hanging on, but here.

The latest - our baby boy arrived! Little Layne Andrew Wildes was born on March 1st at 2:45 p.m. and he weighed 7 lbs, 3 ozs and was 19 inches long. We are all quite enamored with him. Especially his big sister - who just wants to sit and hold him all day long. :)

Here he is at the hospital...

















And all that 7 lbs is in his sweet little face. He has little chicken legs and is so tiny. I quickly forgot how little newborns were until this little one arrived. Goodness, so tiny!!!

We are adjusting to life with 2 kiddos. Bayleigh is doing well, but has her obvious qualms about a new little person entering our lives and our home. Especially when he demands so much of my time. I have got to get better at juggling the two better. I don't want her to think that she is second rate now....so, I have to get better about giving her more of my time as well. Hopefully, this won't be the reason she needs therapy as an adult. LOL :)

No real scrapping for me lately. I did finish a page up about sharing the news of our pregnancy with Bayleigh and Andy. I got it done right before Layne arrived.
I also finished a Christmas layout for our family album and will post it as soon as I get it uploaded and resized. :)

Well, off to do some more baby duty. I promise to update with more pictures of Layne soon. He is 2 weeks old today! I need to post his birth story too.

Hope this post finds you all well.

XO

The age old adage...

Time flies....

And it really does! Especially when you are trying to adjust to hour long homework sessions with your first grader and preparing for the arrival of a brand new baby! *whew* Just typing that wears me out!

So, here we are. I am now 33 weeks pregnant with our little punkin. I can't believe that he will be arriving any day now!!! Eeek... as a matter of fact, I was at my doctor's office last Thursday because I was feeling some major pressure and didn't know if this kid was going to fall out or what! He reassured me by checking me and patted my back, while telling me "welcome to a pregnancy with a boy!"

Yep, that's right....A BOY!!!!!

Andy finally caved and let me tell him Thanksgiving morning that we are expecting a baby boy. We are all pretty excited!! Bayleigh still isn't sure what to expect, but that is okay. She is going to do great with her baby brother.

I can't really post any new pictures because my camera is gone to Sony! I will probably be getting a new one because my Minolta is just having too many problems for my liking. I am hoping to be able to call them and get some resolution on Thursday - we shall see. I hate going back to 35mm after being spoiled with my DSLR.

I will post more later on....just had to post a quick update to anyone who actually reads this!

See ya'll! :)

So, once again, it has been awhile since my last blog entry. Life has gotten hectic and busy, but I guess that is always my excuse. :)

Some new things in our family since my last post...

Bayleigh started first grade. I still can't believe that my child is a first grader. Wow, makes me feel really old. Along with starting first grade comes all the new responsibilities of being in "big girl" school. We have adjusted to homework every night and spelling and reading tests every week. She is doing great!

Other Wildes family news is that....

WE ARE EXPECTING #2!!! I found out a week ago Friday what we are having. But, Andy doesn't want to know just yet, so we are keeping it quiet until he decides he is ready. I give him until Christmas. LOL :) Everything is going well and I feel just great. My official due date is March 13th.

Everything else is going well. Just doing the day-to-day stuff and enjoying every minute.

I hope that you (whoever reads this thing) are well!! I will be sure to update more frequently. I need to show Bayleigh off soon, so look for more pictures soon.

Far too long...

Okay, it has been far too long since I last posted to my blog. *slaps hand* Bad blogger!! hehe

The end of the year is winding down for me at work. I am looking forward to a summer of rest, relaxation, and visiting. We are planning a few vacations and I am so excited!!!

But, with the end of the school year, comes mega paperwork time. In ESE land we are all swamped with new IEP's for next year and evaluations to be completed. Bleck! I guess they make it that way so that when summer does come, we are trully appreciative. *L*

I am going to update my blog later tonight with a layout or two and I need to upload some pictures of Bayleigh out on the boat this weekend.

I hope that you are well and finding joy in all that you do!!

Happy St. Patty's!!

I forgot to get on and post this on Saturday, so I wanted to update now!

Just a fun picture of Bayleigh in all her green!! Ok, isn't she getting big?!?! She is such a cutie and she loved all the four-leaf clover tattoos my mom bought her. She loved posing it up for me.

She loves celebrating St. Patty's Day!! The leprechauns did not make it to our house, much to the chagrin of Bayleigh. Maybe next year. *wink*



We enjoyed yummy corned beef and cabbage!! Bayleigh cleaned her plate. I love it when she tries something new and enjoys every bit of it. :) She ate like she hadn't eaten in weeks. LOL I have raised her well.

At long last...

I have completed a scrapbook page!!! This page has been sitting on my table for a long time just waiting to be finished....and the inspiration has been slow coming. I am so glad to finally have completed a page!!! I hope that this is the end of my dry spell, that is for sure.

Here's the page I created:


Oh man it feels good. I have spent the rest of the night putting layouts into albums and getting organized. Now I know what I am going to work on next. :)

Alright, off to try to find inspiration for my next page and call it a night!!

Sunday Musings...

So, it's Sunday. I should have been at church. But, instead, I was here on the couch - high on cold medicine and nose raw from tissues. Bleck. I hate being sick. Especially when the weather is so stinking beautiful outside.

As a compromise, I have the french doors and windows wide open with lots of fresh air filling the house. As I take a deep breath, I am relieved that there is warm weather and sunshine. Makes my soul happy!! :)

Andy left yesterday morning and we spent the day running errands. I took Bayleigh and her best friend to see Charlotte's Web in the afternoon. What a great movie!! The book is one of my childhood favorites, but watching the movie - with real animals and a real Fern, so great!

In my quiet last night (between the dozing on the couch), I started thinking about how much work it was for Charlotte to convince Wilbur that he was all those words that she spun about him. Isn't that how our lives are? It takes alot of convincing by others to help us see ourselves for some of the things that we really are. Why is it so hard for us to see the good in ourselves? Is because the world tells us that it is boastful and ungodly? Or is it because we, as women, were raised to believe in being the ultimate unselfish giver of ourselves without ever thinking about what we need or how much we give? I am not sure. But, I know that with me, that has to change. For my own sanity and good, I have got to start focusing on the positive more. If I don't, the dark will intrude and take over parts of my life that I am not willing to hand over.

So, I am going to try to come up with a word everyday that tells something about myself and try to mull it over and pick it apart. Something positive...something inspiring. I deserve it! And so does every other woman!!

Those are my first thought provoking insights from the movie....funny how a kid's movie can teach us grown-ups so much! :)

Wacky Wednesday

We are done with our crazed FCAT testing in the state of Florida. *huge sigh of relief* I am glad that it is over. These kids were so panic-stricken over this test. It is so sad. They did fairly well, however, they attempted to make every question much harder than it needed to be. I got through it, they got through it, and we will see how they did when reports come back later this school year.

Andy leaves for another school on Saturday. He will be in South Carolina for some Army school. Gotta love the military. I have no clue what it is for - I just gave up trying to keep track. Although I do know that he said it would be quite challenging. But, I know he will do great and leave with excellent reviews!!

So, I think we are done trying for #2. *gulp* Yes, I would love another. However, it's just not happening. So, I think we are just going to let things go and enjoy what we have. We have been blessed with a beautiful little girl and we couldn't ask for anything more. It's hard to admit it, but I think that we will all be a little better off if we put it away for now. Maybe just the top shelf of the closet, not quite up in the attic yet. *wink*

I think that's about it for now. I am going to scrapbook tonight and try to finish up this page I have been working on. It's for a book of me challenge over at Lifetime Moments. We will see. Gonna make a stop at the local scrapbook store - Scrapbook Market - after I get off of work. But, after that, I am going to scrap away. Well, until Lost comes on. hehe

That's all for now.....

Has it been *THAT* long?

WOW!!!!!

I don't think that I have many blog readers, but still. I mean, has it really been that long since the last time I posted. I guess my first clue was that I had to update to the new blogger and hadn't even known it had changed!

There is so much to write about!! But, honestly, I don't feel like getting all mushy gushy. So just the basics for today. And I *will* be back tomorrow to blog. That's my new year's resolution - to take it one day at a time. I figure I better stick with something that I can stick to. LOL

My birthday is on Thursday! *bows* haha Just another year.

The biggest news is that my little baby will be 6 on Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How did she get so old already??? I guess I should be asking how *I* got this old.... LOL She has become quite the little lady...lipstick, stylish hair-dos, and spunky clothes. *sigh* Yes, my little girl is growing up.

I am excited as I watch her grow. She is so smart and learns so much everyday! She can take a new word and learn it in just a few hours - and she uses it and astounds us all. LOL The latest is edible. She just loves that word. Ahh, how I love my little peanut.

No success with the baby making as of yet. We have been actively trying since June and nothing yet. I am sure you will hear my screaming from the rooftops as soon as we get a positive. hehe

Welp, it's been a long time, but I have to get back to work. I will have to blog again tonight to fill you all in. Or I may just wait until tomorrow.

I am going to *LIVE* my life. Enjoy each day!! Especially these last few days of Bayleigh being 5. *sniff*

Stressing...

Okay, I know the big test is still 3 months away, but I am already stressed out about it. I started studying last week and did my thing for research. This week's studies leads me to Neuroanatomy *gag*. I hated that class the first time around...and now here we go again.

One thing I pulled from the studying from today...On old Olympus' towering top, a fin and German viewed some hops. Yes, that is right. A mnemonic to remember the 12 cranial nerves. I even managed to remember what they do and control. I think that is all that my brain can hold for today! LOL I think that it's going to be a long 3 months.

Going to head home here in a few minutes and get some much needed creative time in before dh gets home. :) So, no wifey guilt tonight. Plus, I am chatting with my girls at 9 pm, so I have to be all creative juiced up for that. Man, I am such a tard!

I hope that you learned something new from my blog today! Even if it is that you never want to go into the area of Speech-Language Pathology! *wink*

Happy Friday!!

I am so relieved that it is finally Friday. I plan on using this weekend to further widen my bottom. *wink* LOL

Andy has drill this weekend, so it's just me and Bay during the day.

Hope to finish up some pages that I have in progress. No NSD big events for me....since I will be with child all day. Oh well, I will have to celebrate here at my house, in my own way. At least I can eat and drink whatever I want without getting strange looks.

I hope that you all have a great Friday night!!

Dry spell...

Okay, do you finally see the trend? LOL I blog for a few days and then it falls by the wayside...then repeat. Oh well...

We are all moved in to our new house!! Woo hooo...and we are loving it. There are still boxes and schtuff in our garage that needs to be cleaned, but I am in no rush. We love our little blue house! I will have to post pictures for you all to see....well whoever is reading my blog these days. hehe

Scrapbooking is going great...I am creating and loving every page I create. I had an a-ha moment this morning as I was cleaning up after my dh and dd. That is......*drum roll please* I love it! Yep, that is it. It takes me days to make a page and finally call it finished and I know that I am slower than almost every other scrapbooker. But, I love what I do. And I am a perfectionist and wouldn't be happy with it until I felt it was complete. For example, I have been working on a page for The Scrapbook Hut design team....it's been on my table since Sunday. Yes, Sunday. I have moved things around, added things, deleted things, but it just isn't "right." So, I stopped by the lss to pick up some of the new MM small letter stickers. I will not put it in the album or post it until I am completely satisfied....or until my dh kills me for asking him yet again if it looks okay. LOL

Anyways, that is all the brain power I have for today!

Happy Thursday....

A packing we shall go...

So, I have been packing at a constant rate for a little over a month now. However, when I look around this house, it seems as though I have done nothing!! I just keep chugging along. I am packing all those things that I don't want the movers messing with - pictures, scrapbook supplies, albums, fragiles, etc. Oh what joy!! *rolls eyes*
Andy started his new job on Friday and has been sleeping in his office for the past few nights. Oh the things you do to get by. LOL
We got word that we will close on our house on Tuesday!!!!! We are just so excited that we can hardly contain ourselves. We will officially be home owners. w00t!
We had a long night last night, but thank goodness that is water under the bridge. And praise the Lord that my baby girl is okay. :)
Hope this finds you all well.....until another day...

Umm...yeah....

5 months is way too long to go without updating one's blog. Nevertheless, I fell victim to the busy life and all that it involves.
But, I am going to give it a go - once again.
So, it looks like we are moving about 2.5 hours away to Tallahassee. We are super excited to get moved and buy our first home. But, we are anxious at all that has to be done before we go....and leaving behind the comfort of what we have known for over 5 years.
I am excited to start a new job at a new school....but, change is always nervewracking.
On another front, I have to get some scrapbooking done. I have uploads to work on....and other such fun things. *sigh* If only the family would cooperate!
We hung out with our good friends, Jenn and Amano. :) We had a nice time chatting and drinking margaritas. Now I just want to crawl in bed and wake up whenever I want. But no such luck.... tomorrow is another day at work.
I really hope to get a lot done and mark some things off the to do list before I leave. I get to go scrapbooking too!! So, that is exciting. Wish my luck in getting some stuff done....hahaha. I usually run my mouth more than work on pages. Oh well, I have fun nonetheless.

Yep, I am still alive...

Can I just say that the past few weeks have been murderous??

My Papa Bear passed away and I couldn't get to his funeral or service because there wasn't enough time. So, now both him and my Grandma are gone...an entire portion of my childhood - gone! It has been so sad for me to know that I will never see the inside of their house again. And I won't ever hear him call me Christie Jean Jelly Bean Anna Poo Poo. Sounds ludicrous, I know...but it is a part of who I am. It has taken me a while to get out of the funk. I know that he is so much better off...he was so sick. And he is finally reunited with my Grandma. So, I know it's all smiles for him. :) :) Just hard for the ones left behind.

I went back to work. I started classes. And I finished my externship up. Now, you can see why these past few weeks have been so hard.

I will have to get caught back up here in the next few days! I am still alive and kicking....just trying to doggie paddle to keep my head above water!

Ahhh, it's been awhile....

Things have been so hectic around here. Between going into the nursing home, getting Bayleigh here and there, and getting ready to go back to work next week. And of course, the residual exhaustion! I am so ready to take a nap one day soon....maybe Saturday.

I have been able to talk to Andy at night. We meet on yahoo at midnight our time. It is nice to be able to talk with him every night. We get to talk about things that we wouldn't normally talk about while he was home. It is healthy...it is helping us grow and be a better couple.

I finished a scrapbook page today! I hope to do one more tomorrow too. I have to get cracking, I have been slacking so bad. I don't feel the pressure to scrap pictures and get them done. I just *need* to create in order to have balance in my life. I have to release the creativity, so I feel stable and sane.

Hopefully, you are all doing well. Staying busy and healthy!