Cashman: 9 1/2-10 Months

HORRIBLE! I'm horrible at this. In order to catch everyone up on the last several weeks, I should put everything in bullet points. I hope to start updating little by little. That way it won't be too overwhelming for me, or you for that matter!

- Halloween! It was great. Cash wasn't into trick-or-treating, as it was a Sunday night, and Cash always has a hard day on Sundays. He fell asleep sitting up in his wagon! He spent most of the walk in his Grandma's arms. Even though his time as Yoda was very limited, he rocked it.

- What new milestones has Cash reached in the last few weeks, you ask?!? He has quite a few new tricks up his sleeves! One of my favorites is his new trick of waving hello and goodbye. It is ADORABLE! Of course, sometimes we beg and beg for him to show this trick off, and he won't, but then we'll be standing in a checkout line at the grocery store, and he'll wave to the cashier. Last night he waved to Colt across Target which made Daddy swell with pride.

- Cash also loves to DANCE now! He has a music table that we purchased from the Jumpin' Jeans consignment sale. Thanks for the tip, Amanda Olsen! Cash loves it. All of the buttons on the top of the table make some sort of noise or play a song. Cash loves to stick his little booty out and jam out. Sometimes we turn on the music channels on our TV just to watch him dance to the oldies.

- This next trick we are especially proud of...Cash can say 3 words now!!! For the longest time it has just been Mama and Daddy. Over the weekend, his Mammy taught him how to say, "Dog". At first I thought he was just saying "Dada", but there is definitely a distinct difference. Daddy, or "Dada" ends with an "a" (as in apple) sound. Dog sounds just like dog without the "g" sound, and he says it with much enthusiasm. This got me thinking about what other words he can say if I really tried to teach him. Today we worked on "Pass" which is what we call his pacifier. He got the "s" sound, but couldn't, or wouldn't make the "pa" sound. Anyway, I think we're on the verge of a verbal explosion. My mom always said I was very verbal from an early age. Of course. ;)

- Cash is an expert crawler, and quite fast might I add. He loves walking around the edge of the couch and has become pretty good at standing, holding on with one hand, or even using just his back or belly for support. He can walk with his walker. I think with a little bit more confidence, he'll be walking soon.

- Lately he has developed the bad habit of throwing temper tantrums. They are always when he's really tired, BUT that is no excuse. He still gets corrected. I think he has my fiery personality. Haha!

- Sometimes when he's throwing these temper tantrums, I'll correct him, and I give him this look where I drop my head down and look at him intensely with my eyes. Colt has always teased me about this look because apparently I always give it to people when they are doing something I don't agree with. Cash has caught on to this, and now gives me the same look back after I do it to him. It is HILARIOUS, and so hard to continue looking sternly at him when he does it. Its very obvious because he drops his head down very low, and very abruptly. Now he does it back and forth with people for fun. I guess I'm going to have to come up with a different "scary, stern look".

- Cash ate his first Gerber toddler meal last night. It was the second attempt at giving him one of these meals, and the first time he wanted nothing to do with it. Last night he enjoyed the chunks of chicken, pasta wheels, and peas. He didn't eat the whole thing, but he ate a lot more than I thought he would. I suppose when the first toddler meal is prefaced the day before by homemade pot roast at Mammy's house that was cut up for him, it makes the transition easier. He sure did love that pot roast. Its so strange to see him eating real bites of food. He is really into wanting to hold the spoon now, so I let him with my guidance.

- I'm starting to think about weaning him from breastfeeding. First I have to find out how many times a day I'm nursing him! I'm kind of a feed on demand mom so I don't really know how much I feed him. We don't have set feeding times. When he's hungry, I know, and I feed him. Usually I feed him before he actually gets hungry. I know its "bad" but I also comfort nurse before nap time, bedtime, if he's fussy etc. This doesn't bother me though. Everyone said that I would have problems with various parenting choices that we've made (IE. letting him sleep in our bed so long, letting him stay up late with us, feeding him solids to early, letting him have a pacifier right after he was born etc. etc. etc.). We chose to do our own thing, and so far, thankfully, it has worked out for us. Plus, I like breastfeeding! It doesn't bother me one bit. My mom let all of us wean ourselves. I was done at 18 months, my sister at 12, and I think my brother was between 12 and 18. I ain't worried. :)

- I guess I'm really into "quotations" for this post.

- I suppose I should go. Thanksgiving is tomorrow and there is much to do before then. I have to clean up my house, as we are having family over for dessert tomorrow evening. I'm going to attempt to make a peach pie! Such a daunting task. I am BEYOND, BEYOND, BEYOND excited for Cash to experience the holiday season. Oh the pictures I will take! These next few weeks will be super busy for us. Thanksgiving tomorrow, my birthday is November 30th (the big 25!), Buddy's birthday is the 9th of December, my parents' anniversary on the 19th, Daddy's birthday on the 21st, Christmas Eve, and Christmas, Grandma Dee's birthday on Christmas Day, Sharon's birthday on the 30th, New Year's Eve, Cash's first birthday on January 13th, my sister's birthday on the 14th, and my mom's birthday on the 23rd of February. Busy, busy, busy!

Like I said, I will try to update more often. Thanks for reading! "Bye". ;)

Cash's First Go-Round

Today, Colt, Cash and I dropped by the Jumpin' Jeans baby consignment sale. We got some really cool toys for Cash. I love letting Cash try out new toys and seeing what he likes. Its almost a given that if it makes noise, lights up, or has bright colors, he'll like it. We got a table that he can stand up at, and learn about music, a ball that he can chase around that lights up and plays songs, and a drum toy. We planned on wrapping them up for Christmas, but we couldn't resist watching him play with it now. I think we will have more fun on Christmas morning than he will!

Colt had to play at the Don Cesar tonight, so Cash and I were on our own. My car was in the shop, so my sister came to pick us up after she got off of work, and take us to Clearwater to see my family. We haven't hung out, just the original five of us (+ baby), in a long time, and it was nice to remember what being the "older sister" felt like. We went to dinner at Crispers, and then headed down to Octoberfest in Oldsmar. It was 1/2 carnival rides, and 1/2 shops and booths. Cash got to see some traditional German dancing! He couldn't have cared less about the dancers, but he liked the music. He loved looking at the lights on the carnival rides, and games. It was sensory overload! My dad dunked the clown at the dunk tank with the first dollar! Those clowns freak me out. I hate when they say..."Water..." in their low, sinister voices. All I can think of is, "IT" by Stephen King, and then I remember why I had to shower with the shower curtain open for several years...ok and maybe occasionally in present times. Cash rode his first amusement park ride tonight! It was, of course, the merry-go-round. When we first got on the ride, he was smiling and so excited to even be sitting on the plastic horse. When the ride started moving, he lost his mind. He was squealing with excitement. He kept looking at me like, "Isn't this great!" My family got some pictures on their cell phones. I'll post them below. I think the merry-go-round made his night, and mine. Its PATHETIC, but I almost cried while we were on that ride. What has happened to me?!? I'm NOT a crier! I guess that is what having a sweet baby boy will do to a Mama. Its amazing how happy it makes me to see him experience something for the first time. He was so excited, and happy on that brown, plastic horse. When he first got on, he had no idea what was in store for him. Everything was new, and the excitement was so genuine. I love seeing him genuinely surprised! After that, I made a "no-more-ride-rule" until Daddy was with us. We are planning on going to the State Fair so Cash can ride some more rides...and Mama can eat a funnel cake! Yum!

After the festival we all piled back into my Dad's truck and headed back to their house. I changed Cashman into his Thomas the Tank Engine pajamas, and we hung out for a while longer before my parents drove me back home. What good folks I have to drive me back to my house (40 minutes away) and then have to drive back to their house. I would like to think its because they love me, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Cash has something to do with it. Ah well, who can blame them!

Now Cashman is in bed, and Colt and I get to watch our shows! Mama and Daddy alone time! BOW-CHICA-WOW-WOW! Just kidding. :)

(Disregard that Cash's head looks super weird in this picture, I don't know why it does-HAHA!)

A sappy thought at 1am...

I always imagined that being a wife and mother would be great. I never imagined it would be this rewarding or fulfilling, or that it would make me this happy. Its a million times better than I ever imagined. That is all for tonight. :)

The first picture we ever took together.

The first baby we ever made together (or in general-HAHA!). :)

BEWARE OF DOG

The best thing about our neighborhood is that you can't throw a rock without hitting a home occupied by Christians. I love that. Its such a secure feeling to know you have friends all around you, who are right there if you need them. Just off the top of my head, I can think of 5 families that go to our church that live in our neighborhood and dozens more that attend other churches in the area.

My feelings of security were temporarily interrupted this week when we heard about a series of break-ins. My in-laws live a few streets over from us, and were informed that there was an attempted break-in on their neighbor's house. Apparently they went to the grocery store around noon, and when they came back their front door had some damage from where the criminals tried to kick it in. Scary stuff! What took me by surprise was that it was in the middle of the day, at a house that was clearly seen from the street. I prayed about it, and decided I wouldn't let it bother me.

But it did bother me. Today, Colt and I made a trip to Lowes. We bought a chain for our door, some window locks, and lastly, the most cheesy security measure...a BEWARE OF DOG sign for our fence. Its amazing what having a baby that sleeps all the way across the house from you will lead you to do. We also have an ADT system, dog that's a light sleeper, and a video monitor in the baby's room. I think we're pretty well taken care of. In all seriousness, I know that all I can do is pray about it. God has protected me for the last 24 (almost 25) years from people that may want to do me harm, and I pray that he'll continue to do that for me and my family. These little extra security precautions don't hurt though!

In other news, Cash has been doing REALLY well with sleeping in his crib. He doesn't really cry at all anymore when I put him down, and he's been sleeping for 11-12 hours at a time. Love it!

Well I better go. Colt got home a little bit ago, and its time to watch our shows, and hang out! Couldn't have gotten luckier in the husband department. ;)

Bible Class and Family Vacation!

Right now, I am enjoying a lovely cup of STRONG coffee that Colt made, watching a ridiculous Lifetime movie and listening to my child scream bloody murder in the other room. Yep, Cash has decided to boycott napping. Well, napping in his crib to be more specific. If he is in my arms, or in the car, its no problemo. It was to be expected I guess, because my mom said I never wanted to nap when I was little. Still to this day, I can go on very little sleep. I think his sleep schedule is thrown off a little bit from our mini-vacation. He is a once a day napper, but he sleeps about 12 hours a night, usually waking up once or twice if at all. I hate listening to him cry himself to sleep for nap time, but its the only way he'll learn.

This week started out with Cash's first time in Bible class on Sunday morning. He loved it! I got rave reviews of his good behavior from Ms. Lynda! He didn't cry at all, and sat listening to the teacher and touching the arm of his classmate, Deacon. Such a sweetheart! I have to say, I was choking back tears the whole time. I know it sounds weird, but its just another milestone proving that my baby is growing up too fast. He looked so cute in those little bucket seats.

Monday and Tuesday were spent at the Don CeSar Hotel on St. Pete Beach. Colt has been playing there, and really loves that gig. Its a gorgeous hotel! Cash loved swimming in the pool and the Gulf! He sat in the sand, running his feet through it, and grabbing handfuls to pour on his legs. Of course...adorable. Beach vacations are definitely different with a baby. The whole point of going to the beach is to relax. Relaxation is almost impossible with a cruiser who likes to crawl and pull up on everything. Instead of beach chairs, they gave us a really cool canopy bed with canvas sheets on the side, right on the beach. We put a bunch of Cash's toys on the bed, and laid around and watched him play. I didn't get much sun, but it was fun to see him discover a new landscape! Its funny how my beach priorities changed from getting a good tan to preventing my son from swallowing sand.

This should be an ad for Target Wipes :)

Well I guess that's it for now. I'll leave you with a video of this weird thing that Cash has been doing with his tounge. Its pretty hilarious! Thanks for reading!

A Friday in the Fall

It has been too nice outside not to enjoy the beautiful fall weather. What did we do today you ask? We went to the DMV. Ok, so its not really enjoying the fall weather, but its a favorite hangout for Colt and I. We discovered the entertainment value when we were applying for our marriage license several years ago. Since then, we look forward to every opportunity to visit. Its the best place to people watch. Today was Cash's first trip. We were served by a lovely lady named Ruth. Of course she was enamoured with Cash's good looks and charm. At the end of our visit, he left her something so as never to forget him. He barfed on her desk. Not a lot, but just enough to let her know he cared. I love running errands with Colt and Cash.

After a few more errands we went to Chick-Fila for lunch. Cash ate a french fry which the throughly enjoyed. He learned how to drink from a straw on Wednesday and ever since then he whines for a chance to try out his new trick when he sees an opportunity.

Now, Colt is playing, so Cash and I are at home, fresh from a grocery trip to Target. Cash got a swim shirt for our first family vacation to the Don Cesar on Monday and Tuesday. It looks super cute on him.

I'll let him jump in his jumparoo for a few more minutes, only because I love listening to him talk to himself with an occasional, "Mama" and "Dada" thrown in. I wonder what he's saying about us. All good things I hope.

UPDATE: Crib Sleeping

Last night (10/5/10), Cash slept through the night in his crib! He didn't even wake up once! We are so proud of him...and well rested!

8 1/2 Months: Crib Sleeping/Daily Life

We've finally done it. Cash man is now in his crib as of September 27th (last Monday night). Thankfully it was an easy process. Here's the story...

We knew the time had come because none of us were sleeping well anymore. He was waking up about 3 or 4 times a night, and because I was next to him, he wanted to nurse. This made for a very sleepy Mama. He was cranky throughout the daytime because he was waking up so much throughout the night. I knew the hardest part would not be the transistion, but missing having him in bed with me. Pathetic, huh!

We decided to start the process on a Monday night so we had plenty of time for him to adjust before having to wake up early for church on Sunday morning. We decided 11 or 12 would be a good bedtime for him, since we don't lead a "wake up at 6am" lifestyle. We figured if he were to sleep 10-12 hours, which the pediatrician recommended, that he would wake up between 10 and 12 which was perfect! On Monday night, we played with him for a long time on the floor in the living room to wear him out a little bit. I nursed him and then fed him his usual "dinner" solid meal. He eats A LOT (at least 8oz. but most of the time between 8 and 12oz., three times a day), so I knew that would help with his sleeping. In my experience, a full baby always sleeps better. After dinner, I rocked him while watching TV for a little while, so he was tired, but not sleeping. Then he kissed Daddy goodnight, and I walked him in his room and laid him down. Immediately he got up and stood holding the crib railing. He was looking at me like, "Where are you going?" Then his little lip started to quiver and he started wailing. It was so sad, but I knew from putting him in his crib for naptime, he'd soon stop crying and go to sleep. As I thought, it only took about 10 minutes, and he was sleeping. He woke up twice that night, but the nice thing was, Colt got up once, and I got up the other time, instead of me having to wake up every two hours and nurse him. When he woke up, we'd go in there, give him a sip of water (drinking out of a cup is one of his favorite activities), lay him down, give him some kisses, and gently rub his head, then walk out. He'd cry for a few mintues, but very quickly fall back asleep. We all woke up the next morning well rested and in a good mood!

As I said, we started this last Monday, and he's been doing basically the same thing every night. He's crying about the same amount of time every night, but he almost always falls asleep within 10-15 minutes. The transistion was easy, but the emotional aspect was hard for me. That first night, when I went to get in my bed, I could still smell him on my pillow. There were two pee pee diapers that I had changed the night before on the changing table on the pack-n-play, which made me miss him even more. Even though he was just across the house, it felt like he was worlds away. I didn't cry which was good. I put the video monitor right next to my bedside and turned it up loud. What did people do before video monitors?!?! My attachment phase has gotten better as we get more used to this sleeping arrangement. :)

I never knew what having Cash would mean to me. Colt and I always talk about how he really is our best friend. We love waking up in the morning, and going into his room to start our day. He is always in the sweetest mood when he wakes up. After he wakes up I'll nurse him, and then eat my breakfast while he plays with his toys on the living room floor. After my breakfast he gets his solid breakfast, then we prepare to go for our walk. He gets all sunscreened up, and puts on his "workout clothes". Haha! He literally squeals with excitement when I open the door to push the stroller out at the beginning of the walk. I love our walks because it gives Colt and I time to talk and hang out without destractions of the TV, feedings, diaper changes, etc. etc. etc. Cash is just along for the ride. Moe came with us today (he is the most out of shape dog ever), and Cash loved watching him walk beside us. We have our designated water break spots, and Cash loves drinking out of my water bottle, even though he has his own sippy cup filled with ice water. At a certain point on our walk, Cash always begins to talk. We laugh everytime, because he's quiet as a church mouse until that one speed bump, when he begins to babble like a mad man. When we get home from our walk, I usually nurse him again and he goes down for a nap. The rest of the day is either spent running errands or playing at home. On days that Colt doesn't have to work, we usually go to dinner, although we're trying to do better about staying home and cooking. It really is a blissful life.

Well I better run. I'm going to try and start updating more often, even if its just a paragraph about something funny he did that day.

My "funny story" today would have to be about his "Marlon Brando voice". He immitates the Brando voice a lot when he is in serious conversation. It is hilarious. I will try to get it on tape. Well...that story wasn't really funny. I guess you have to be there. HAHA!

Thanks for reading!

Cash's 8th Month

At 8 Months, Cash is a big ball of personality. He has had so many new milestones in the last few weeks. To keep it brief (which I'm not very good at), I'll put it in list form.

- Most of his clothes are in 12 months although he wears some 18 months. He even has a few pajama sets that are 24 months!

- He weighs about 19-20 lbs. I've only measured on my scale at home, so I don't know how accurate it is.

- He started crawling on September 5th (about 7 and 3/4 months old) and is pulling up on EVERYTHING! We love to watch him discover all kinds of new things now that he is mobile. Although I could have lived without him discovering Moe's food and water dishes.

- He started saying "Mama" on September 10th. Sometimes he switches from calling me "Nana" to "Mama" but I've been correcting him after he says "Nana". The first time I heard him say, "Mama" was in his bedroom while Colt was at a gig. I put a Disney movie on in his room, and I was doing chores (in his room) while he was playing in his crib. He kept trying to get my attention, and finally he just said, "Mama". At first I thought it could have been a fluke until he said it again later that night. I can't even describe how happy it makes me to hear him mumble my name all day long.

- It seems that he is beginning to understand what "NO" means (now that I have to say it all the time). It could be the tone of voice, but he definitely pauses and looks at me everytime he hears it.

- He had his first low grade fever, accompanied by a sore throat at the beginning of his 8th month. That was no fun, especially for our sleep schedule, but he's 100% back to normal now...well at least he doesn't have a fever or sore throat anymore.

- His sleep schedule is so weird now. He went from sleeping 8-10 hours a night, straight, to waking up about every 3 hours to comfort nurse. We may try to put him in his crib, but plans for that have been on hold since Colt has been so busy with gigs. Its hard to get a baby on a conventional schedule, when the parents are on an unconventional schedule, but I think we do a pretty good job.

- On that note, he is still sleeping with us, but takes naps in his crib.

- Another problem with the sleeping in his crib thing is that he is going through a BIG attachment phase. Sometimes he'll just fuss unless I am holding him. I could be sitting right next to him, but unless he is in my lap, he isn't happy. I LOVE that he loves me, but I'm trying to train him to be able to self-soothe.

- I love this story...My parents, and Emilee babysat for us so that we could go to the Tom Petty concert after Colt played before the show. They tried to give him formula for the first time in several months. Immediately upon sticking the bottle in his mouth, he wiggled, spit it out and said, "NANA...MAMA!" My mom said he was looking all over for me. I just love love love that story.

- He eats so much! He is eating 3 solid meals a day, and sometimes he'll eat a whole jar of oatmeal or mixed grains right after a solid feeding. I haven't dropped any breast feedings either!

- He loves books. He may even love books more than his other toys! He's really into colors, sounds and lights.

- He loves the guitar and music in general. When we went to see Colt play before the Tom Petty show, Cash was waving his hands to the beat! Its really weird, but he does that almost all the time.

- He's started to "sing". We were at my brother's soccer game when my mom started singing to him. He started "singing" back in response to her song. Now he does it in his car seat sometimes when we're listening to the radio. One of his favorites is "Red Cord" on my Uncle Josh's new CD, "Seven Years of Lean".

- He bit Michelle Mitchell at church twice while we were in the nursery. I hope that he doesn't make that a permanent thing. Haha!

- Cash has discovered the joys of having a brother...a canine brother at least. He loves to play with Moe. His favorite game is fetch, when we throw Moe's duck toy across the house and he runs back to us with it. Cash just about crawls out of our arms with excitement when Moe brings it back.

- He is allergic to cow's milk. We discovered this after seeing little red spots appear around his mouth after letting him taste some of my ice cream one night. It happened again after tasting some whipped cream off of my fruit dessert at Matt and L'Von Qualls' home one night. We confirmed that it was a milk allergy after he had one of the yogurt bites for babies, and his mouth broke out in the semi-swollen, spots. They say milk allergies usually fade. Hopefully that's true.

- We also think he is left handed. He picks up everything with his left hand. If I hand him something, he'll always take it with his left hand.

- I really wish I could videotape him all day long because he does something cute nearly every minute. I did catch his first laugh on tape, as well as his first time crawling. The gazillions of pictures will have to be sufficient for the rest. :)

We are already half way through the 8th month. He is the most handsome, smart and fun loving little boy. Everything I ever dreamed of. Love Love Love him.

Not That I Believe In Horoscopes...

Or even read them that often for that matter, but sometimes, by coincidence I'm convinced, they are eerily accurate.

For example, the day we found out we were having a boy. We knew if it was a boy that we would name him Cash. We went in to the ultrasound tech's office, not expecting to find out the gender that early. I was only 13 1/2 weeks along. Early or not, we knew. Later that day, by chance I heard my horoscope. It went something like, "Today will be full of surprises. Strangers may give you unexpected gifts. Someone may even give you CASH!" Weird, huh?!?

Tonight I was perusing my favorite baby website, babycenter.com, and I saw a link to parent/child and parent/parent compatibility by horoscopes. I opened it and read it for fun. I entered Colt and I's birthday in the blanks, and here are the results... "Your family life could resemble one long freewheeling adventure, at least if you two have your say about it! Together, you'll value education, curiosity, learning, and personal freedom. You wouldn't want your kids to be tied down, ordered around or restricted any more than you'd sign up for it yourselves. This unconventional attitude can lead to a rather loud, messy and fun-loving household--not that you care what anyone else thinks!" WEIRD HUH!?! Not that I agree with everything about that statement, but I thought it described our lifestyle pretty well.

Again, not that I think there is any truth behind horoscopes, but sometimes they are good for a laugh!

At 7 Months...

At seven months...

- Cash is scooting all over the place. Its not technically crawling, but its definitely an army crawl.

- He's eating solid foods two times a day, and now loves thick rice cereal, mixed grains and oatmeal.

- He is still sleeping in our bed. If he wakes up in the middle of the night, and I am not right next to him, he'll pull himself over to me using the sheets, and curl up beside me.

- He can sit up completely by himself, and has really good posture.

- He LOVES books, colors, and sounds.

- He loves to listen to Colt play the guitar, and squeals with excitement when he sees it.

- As of today (7 months, 2 weeks-ish) he has two teeth

- He is around 19 or 20 lbs, but I don't know how long he is, although we get comments on how "tall" he is all the time.

- He is still the most laid back baby I've ever seen. My Aunt Paige calls him "Chill".

- We have so many nicknames for him! We call him, Cashy, Cashman, Scooter, Sweetieface, Gooey, and most recently Scratch...explanation to follow

- Cash likes to scratch everything so he can feel the material. I also thinks he likes the noise it makes. In church, he'll turn around and scratch the pew.

- He is very well behaved in church, and has never pitched a fit. I've only taken him out once, and still everyone around me said they didn't hear him make a peep!

- He is still breastfeeding, although he has gone from 10 minutes on each side when he was a newborn, to about 3 minutes on each side now. Sometimes its more, sometimes less!

- He has grown out of all of his size 2 shoes and wears some 6-9 clothes, but mostly 12 months because he is so tall.

- He LOVES Moe, and is becoming very "hands on" with him.

- He stood on all fours last night for the first time in his pack-n-play (August 21st). He attempted to crawl but the netting on the sides prevented him from going anywhere.

- He can go from a lay down position to sitting up on his bottom.

- Cash has the most facial expressions I've ever seen in a baby. He makes the funniest faces sometimes.

- He is very calm and quiet when we're around people, but loud, and jolly at home! He squeals with excitement all the time, and it will burst your ear drum if you're not ready for it. When he's at home with Mama and Daddy, there is hardly a minute that goes by that he isn't smiling. Literally!

- He loves to laugh, therefore, LOVES being tickled. His sides, the middle of his back, and under his arms are the most ticklish spots.

- He makes Colt and I SO happy, and we both get choked up seemingly on a daily basis by how much we're in love with him.

I think that's about it for now. I wish you all could see my "posts to be posted" box. I start so many new posts and never get a chance to finish them. September is a busy month for Colt's gig schedule, and August was a busy month for my photography business. We have been very blessed with a lot of work lately! We're so thankful that we can spend so much time with each other and really enjoy this time with your baby together. Seven months has been the most fun so far, with all the new things he's learning and how fast he's growing. Thanks to everyone for reading, my very sporadic posts! Love you all!

Happy Half-Year Cash!

My little baby is 6 months old! Where did the time go? His personality has exploded and we're enjoying this stage!

At 6 months, our daily schedule is still different than most people. We still sleep weird hours, but it works for us. Colt and I have a 2am "rummy date" every night during one of Cash's "naps". He usually wakes up during this time and watches us finish our game. Below is a picture of this.

He seems to enjoy this, and we have named him all time score keeper. :) After rummy, we'll start to settle down. We're usually in bed by 4am so we can watch America's Funniest Home Videos. We try to go to sleep by 5 but sometimes (most of the time) we're snoozing by 6. Cash still sleeps next to me. Our bed is his favorite place in the house. Even when he is awake, he loves to play on it. When I lay him down, he thrashes around with excitement, and makes "snow angels" in the down comforter. He'll probably never sleep in his crib. Maybe the next baby will. Haha! I give up...I guess you can call us a co-sleeping family. We love it. He is a very happy and smiley baby. He really loves books, colors, and babbling. He is starting to scoot all over the place which makes me think he'll start crawling soon. He can sit up unassisted for several seconds before falling over and he can roll over from back to front (learned this first) and front to back also. Moe LOVES him and licks his face often. Cash can hold small objects and has almost mastered taking out and putting his pacifier back in his mouth. He LOVES his sippy cup and has almost mastered tipping it up to his mouth. We've started Stage 2 foods, and he's in Stage 3 diapers. He fits into most 6-9 month clothes, but is also wearing some 12 and 18 month clothes! A while back I reported that he could say "Mama" although not in reference to me. I haven't heard him say it near as much since he discovered how to say "DADA!" He says that all the time! He is one of the most loving, cuddly and sweet natured babies I have ever seen. Colt and I were laying in bed, staring at him last night, talking about how blessed we are to have him. The second baby is going to have a lot to live up to! We have so many dreams for Cash. I pray every night that he will become a good, strong, Christian man.

Like I said, 6 months is such a fun stage. He can do so many new things. It seems like he's doing something new everyday! My sweet little baby that was once content sleeping in my lap now loves to climb up my body, give me kisses on my face and rub my cheeks. Although, he still enjoys sleeping in my arms. :) He loves when we make funny noises. For some reason, he thought the word, "Speedo" was funny when he heard it on Jeopardy as one of the answers. He laughed so hard, and we had no idea what he was laughing at until Colt repeated it, and he started laughing again. Speedo has now been adopted as on of his nicknames. Poor kid...he'll probably never learn his real name!

In other news, I have been having some very vivid dreams lately. Most of them have been related to pregnancy or birth. I have been so excited for our friends Richard and Ashley Smotherman, and the upcoming birth of their baby. I dreamed about it last night! I also had a weird dream about the birth of our second child (and no there is no second child yet). In my dream, I was pregnant, and visiting my doctor for a checkup. She pushed down on my tummy, to help jump start labor, and I immediately started having contractions. I got up to walk to the bathroom, and there he came! He fell out! Haha! It was a boy. I yelled for someone to help me and cut the umbilical cord. When I finally got a good look at him he looked like Colt and Cash. He had Colt's nose (everyone says that Cash has my nose), and a lot of hair, like Cash did. The weirdest part was that I checked my phone in my dream to see what the date was, and it was February 6th. Wouldn't that be crazy if I had our next child on February 6th (not next February of course). In my dream Cash was toddling around the hospital room, trying to get a good look at the baby. It was a lovely dream BUT my dad always says that my dream stories are long and boring, so I digress. :)

My photography business has really started to boom! I made a website. Its http://www.aubreeclarkphotography.com/, just in case I haven't linked to it before. I'm really enjoying being able to do photo shoots when I want to and still be home with Colt and Cash. Its the best of both worlds. Colt and I were talking the other day about how much we have to be thankful for. He and I are both able to do what we are passionate about, him with his music and me with writing and photography. We both get to stay home with our son, and raise him together. We both prayed that we would find the right man/woman to marry. We did, and have been blissfully happy these past 3 years. We prayed for a healthy baby, and we not only got a healthy baby, but the most adorable, sweet natured and cuddly baby in the world. We have a wonderful family, who we sincerely enjoy spending time with. God has really blessed us, and I am careful not to take any of it for granted.

Well I guess I better go for now. I'm hoping to take Cash's 6 month pictures at some point this week. For now, time for some coffee and Deadliest Catch on DVR. Thanks for reading!

Happy Father's Day!

I have been a busy little bee lately. It has been about 3 weeks since my last post...I think? I have officially lost count of how many weeks Cashman is now. I suppose I could look at my last post, but I'm too lazy. In an effort to make my posts more interesting an less informative (boring), I'm just going to write off the top of my head. I will still record the important things, but its redundant to say that he's eating the same things from week to week, and still sleeps in our room. Blah, blah, blah. :)

Its Father's Day today! I'm so thankful to have a wonderful father, and a wonderful husband, who is a wonderful father. Wonderful! :) We went to Outback this afternoon after church to celebrate. Colt and I aren't big of gift giving, so I just got him a card. In Colt's Father's Day card, I wrote about how a woman never really knows what kind of father her husband will be until they have a child. You may think that your husband will make a great father one day, which I always did, but I have been so blessed to see Colt play such a hands on role with Cash. Having Cash has made him even more patient, loving and kind. He loves watching Cash reach his milestones. He takes pride in Cash's sweet and happy demeanor. He truly is everything I could have wished for a father to be to my children.

In less mushy, and more self-centered, "Aubree" related news, as I said, I've been a busy bee. I've had a few photo shoots in the last few weeks, which I always look forward too. I'm always excited for clients to see the photos I've taken, and choose their selections so I can start the editing process. It sounds weird, but I love that I love photography. Its an interest that I've only really delved into in the last few years, but I enjoy it so much. Not only taking pictures, but looking at other people's pictures, amateurs and professionals alike! Not only have I been busy with photography, but I've also started writing articles for Associated Content. Most of them are baby related...obviously. Its not a ton of extra money, but the website does pay for the articles. Its at least a dinner out here and there! I've always considered myself to have pretty good grammar, but after writing these articles, I've realized that I've forgotten so many rules. Great...now you're probably checking this post for all of my my mistakes. You guys can overlook my grammatical errors but Associated Content will not, so I have to proofread a few times. I will include a link to my latest article at the bottom of this post.

This week we had Matthew and Meredith Evans over for dinner. As I'm not used to cooking for more than just the two of us, I made spaghetti which is fairly foolproof. We had a great time talking and comparing interests. Colt played at their wedding in December. We also had a visit from my cousin Jason, who has just returned from Iraq. We are so thankful that he returned home safely. He brought Cash the cutest little Rays t-shirt and onesie with a Rays bib. I can't wait for the next home game so Cash can rock his t-shirt. He also brought a very special gift from my Aunt Val, his mother. She made Cash a beautiful blanket that has a big sun, and a sand bucket in the bottom corner. The top of the sand bucket is made out of three neckties, one from Colt's father, one from my father, Cole, who passed away when I was two, and one from my father now. I love it so much. I have it hanging on Cash's crib. I will cherish that blanket forever.

In baby related news, Cash is saying, "DaDa" now! He started saying it this weekend, which is ironically Father's Day weekend. He rolls over from back to front like a mad man, but has only rolled over belly to back on three occasions, and they were all pretty much flukes. Still breastfeeding and eating his baby food. He is getting pretty good at using his sippy cup and he's really into holding things now. He loves to hold our cell phones and tries to grab everything off the table when we eat dinner at a restaurant. The days of him sitting quietly in his carrier are gone, but I don't plan on giving up our dinners out. I'm just going to have to teach him how to behave at a restaurant. It will be easier when he can sit up completely on his own and we can put him in a high chair. He is still drooling and biting everything which makes me think that a tooth is on its way, but still no sign of it yet from what I can feel. I'm not sure how much he weighs or how long he is. He's wearing 6-9 month clothes and can even fit into some 12 month shirts!

I guess my pregnancy hormones must be wearing off because my hair is falling out like crazy! I heard this would happen, but I kind of hoped I'd be the person that this awful plague would magically skip over. Nope! Along with the hair loss, my skin is breaking out like crazy! I guess its hormones, because I've never broken out on my cheeks and that seems to be where its the worst. I'm normally a t-zone breaker outer. Ha! I was laughing about these horrid hormones today in the car. I told Colt that I was going to be bald and have acne! HAHAHA! Colt said, "Its ok, I'll just introduce you to people as James Carville...This is my wife, the ragin' cajun!" HAHAHAHA! Thankfully I have a good sense of humor.

Well I think that's it for now. Cash is stirring around in his bed. Time to eat! I'm working on another "I Just Want You To Know" post. No I haven't forgotten. Just trying to think of what I want to say. Stay tuned! Thanks for reading!

Here is a link to my article for Associated Content: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5477034/a_guide_to_baby_products_mothers_dont.html?cat=25

20 Weeks: The Family Man

Cash is 20 weeks old! I'm not sure at what point you stop counting the weeks and start going by the month. I will say that I had to count the weeks on a calendar to remember that it was 20. Maybe that's a sign that I should just say he's about 4 1/2 months old.

Over the last few weeks his personality has EXPLODED. He is Mr. Personality! Lets just jump right in...

Physical: I'm not sure how much he weighs or how long he is right now. Everyone is telling me that he looks bigger than he did a few weeks ago, so maybe he's gone through another growth spurt?!? The teething process has definitely become more of an issue for him. He has developed a little bit of the "teething cough" and a warm forehead (although I'm not sure he's had any kind of fever). He is chewing on EVERYTHING! He has never been a fussy baby, but over the last few days, his teeth have really been bothering him. One good thing about Cash is that if he's fussy, you know there is a problem, because he never fusses for no reason. Baby Oragel does the trick. We discovered another little birth mark this week. I was changing his diaper and I noticed there was a little, light brown spot on the back of his leg. I don't know why I never noticed it before. It is really light, so maybe that's why. He's grabbing everything now, and is able to take out his pacifier with his hand. The thrush has been gone for a while now. The baby form of Diflucan has done its job!

Sleeping Habits: He's still sleeping with us and we're still loving it. Colt and I were talking about how sad it will be when he has to go in his crib because of another sibling or some other reason. We will miss him being in here with us. We returned the cradle to its home in Ohio this week. It had been in our room awaiting Cash's arrival for many weeks before he was born, and he has slept in it, or with me since he's been born. It was sort of sad to see it go, even though I'm well aware that it is an inanimate object and doesn't have feelings. That was the cradle that my grandmother, Jan, used for her baby boys (four of them). My father, Brian, slept in it when he was Cash's age. My Uncle Kevin and Aunt Katie are about to have their first baby, so now they'll use it for their sweet baby girl. I love family traditions and heirlooms! The pack-n-play is now at my bedside, just in case Cash ever decides he wants to sleep in it. Haha! I usually put him in it a few hours before we wake up. He has been sleeping about 7 to 9 hours a night when he's sleeping beside me. I try to put him in the pack-n-play but he wakes up and babbles or starts to fuss until I put him beside me in bed. At that point he smiles, turns on his side (he prefers to sleep on his side or back) and grabs my face to get comfortable. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!

Eating Habits: Cash is still breastfeeding, and taking a formula or breast milk bottle about once every one or two weeks. We are still giving him rice cereal or some type of fruit or vegetable. Also, he loves ice cream. Yes, I'm "that kind of mom". Ha!

Milestones: On 5/29 Cash rolled over from back to front for the first time. We're still working on rolling from front to back. He doesn't mind being on his back, because he's recently discovered that he can grab his toes. He's still not a fan of "tummy time" although he'll lay there for a few minutes without fussing. He's saying "Mama" a lot more now. Colt finally heard him say it, and so did my Aunt Heather. Its usually when he's fussing. Last night (6/2) Cash reached for Colt for the first time. Colt was playing a game with him on our bed while I was washing my face, and he said, "LOOK! He's reaching!" I watched it all unfold through the bathroom mirror. SO CUTE! He LOVES to stand on his legs now with our help of course and takes a few steps at a time. He can sit up with the help of his arms as an anchor, but he can't sit up by himself. We're almost there!

This Week (or last few weeks): My brother, Brian Jr., graduated from high school this week. We are all so proud of him and can't wait for him to be at FC next year. Cash did great through the lengthy graduation ceremony. I got up once because he started to "talk" and I didn't want any of the proud parents to be upset that my child was talking through the ceremony. I went to the back and he fell asleep so I walked back up to my seat in the front. Of course, about 5 minutes after I sat down, everyone started clapping for one of the speakers, so Cash woke up, but he was good. I got to see my brother walk across the stage before Cash and I went to the back for the end of the 2 1/2 hour ceremony. Another benefit of my brother's graduation was that it brought in all of the family. Cash got to meet my Pam Pam and Grandpa Tom, the Touchton clan, my Grandpa Shipp and Aunt Dee, and he got to see my Grandma Jan, Grandpa Tony and Zeke again! Of course we love getting to see all of our local family as well. We took about a million pictures! Cash got to see Clearwater Beach for the first time this week. He loved the sand and feeling the water on his feet. These last few weeks have been REALLY busy! We've been back and forth between Clearwater and Temple Terrace everyday this week. My Aunt Heather took some really cool family pictures for Colt, Cash and I this week. I will post a preview, but I'm still in the process of editing them. She always does such a good job.

I think that's about it for now. I'm sure there are a million things I'm forgetting. This is the first post I'm writing without the help of an email filled with info to include. Notice how much shorter it is. Haha! Stay tuned for some topical posts to come! Thanks for reading!!!

Saying Mama & Seeing Mia (and Dylan): 17 weeks

I know, I know. I've been somewhat neglectful in my posting duties, but I promise, I have a pretty good excuse. When Colt and I got married, I started to become very interested in photography. Between finishing college, getting a job, getting pregnant, and having a baby, my love for photography had taken a backseat. Recently, I've decided to try to do something with it. I started Aubree Clark Photography, and I've been posting pictures of photo shoots I've done on my business Facebook page. All of the sudden, my inbox was flooded with messages from people wanting to have their pictures taken! All of the new business has been wonderful, and I've really enjoyed expanding my portfolio. I love being challenged to find new, and unique ways to take pictures. I've worked with some new locations, and its forced me to be more creative in posing my subjects, especially when the background is plain. I've been learning so much. All of that to say, I've been pretty busy with the photo shoots, editing the pictures and still finding time to be a wife and a mother. Oh, and I've been working on some pretty cool canvas photo collages! I guess May has been a pretty artsy month for me! Well I have a lot to talk about so I suppose I should get started...

Cash is now 17 weeks, which means he's officially 4 months old! BLOWS-MY-MIND! Sometimes it seems like he's a completely different baby than he was when we brought him home from the hospital.

Physical: At his 4 month doctors appointment, he weighed 15 1/2 lbs., was 26 inches long, and his head circumference was 17.2. He's about 50th-75th percentile for weight, 75th for height, and 90th for head circumference! Colt and I both have big heads, so that was no surprise. Haha! He's getting much better with tummy time. In fact, he pushes himself up with his arms, so he's almost always looking around when he's on his belly. No more sobbing into the blanket! :) His back, arms and legs are really strong now. He loves standing on his legs and will even take a few steps while holding on to my hands. He tries to sit up by himself all the time. When he's laying on his back, he'll try to flex his abs to sit up and look around. He can't quite make it up yet, but I think the days when he can sit up on his own are fast approaching. He had his second round of shots at his 4 month doctor appointment as well. Unlike the first round, these made him pretty fussy for the rest of the day. He only cried for literally about a second after the shot, but was kind of out of it all day afterward. He didn't get a fever per se, but it got up to about 98.6, which is a little bit higher than normal. Also, we've been battling thrush these past two weeks. I noticed it on his tongue really early, so it was just in the beginning stages. For those of you who don't know, thrush is a yeast infection type thing in the mouth. It sounds disgusting, but its really not. No one notices it unless I show them. Anyway, he was prescribed Nystatin, and that helped temporarily but it came back. Now he is on Diflucan (or whatever the baby form of Diflucan is) and its helping a lot. The only thing that stinks is that I have to put it on myself topically because I'm nursing, and its really sticky. I'm sure it will clear up soon. My mom said I used to get it when I was a baby, and its not serious at all. Lastly, he's in 6 month clothes almost everywhere (sometimes 3 or 3-6 depending on where you go) and size 2 shoes. Our little man is getting big!

Sleeping Habits: The only thing that is consistent is inconsistency. It works for us. Some nights I'll get 3 or 4 hours at a time, and some nights I'll get 8 or 9. I usually average about 4 to 6 before he wakes up for a feeding. I've decided I'm not going to put him in his room until he's consistently sleeping through the night. If his room was right next to mine, I would try to get him to sleep in there, but its all the way across the house. Colt and I both like having that time with him, watching him talk to the TV, play in the sheets, or even just sleep. He falls asleep cuddled up next to me almost every night, but I try to get him in his cradle half way through the night. I've heard every reason for why he needs to be in his crib by now, but honestly, I know when he's all grown up, I'll remember the nights that he slept beside me, and look back on this time with fond memories. He takes naps in his crib, although they don't last very long. He sleeps better in my arms, in his car seat (when we're in the car) or in his cradle. He still makes a lot of funny faces in his sleep, and smiles a lot, although not as much as when he was fresh from the hospital.

Eating Habits: Cash tried sweet potatoes and rice cereal for the first time these past two weeks. I know starting him on vegetables and fruits usually comes AFTER the rice cereal, but we seem to be slipping into a pattern of unconventionality. He's eating solids (Stage One Gerber foods), once a day, and its usually half a container, although sometimes he'll take 3/4 of one. He's mainly breastfeeding, and having a formula or breast milk bottle maybe once every two weeks.

Milestones: He had his first "real" laugh on April 27th caused by the noise that a Target wipe bag made. He thought it was hilarious! He is sucking his thumb, hand, and fingers more often. Although he still likes his pacifier, he'll spit it out at times just to suck on his hand. I think he's beginning to teethe! LAST BUT NOT LEAST is my favorite milestone this week...Cash said, "Mama!" On May 15th! He was sitting in his swing while I was putting on my makeup, and he started to fuss because he wanted to get out. He looked right at me and said, "MAMA". At first I thought it was a fluke, until he said it again a few seconds later. I know at this age, he doesn't know that's what he's supposed to call me, but he's able to make the "Ma" sound now, so its my job to point to myself when he says it so he'll get the idea. I love hearing him say it though.

His Favorites: He loves mirrors, his lion stuffed animal with the toys on the paws "Lionel", and his toy dog "Rolph". He's also really into colors, things that make noise, different patterns, and brightly colored clothing.

Personality: Cash really is the happiest, most laid back, content, and easy to please, baby I've ever seen. He's really playful and babbles ALL THE TIME! Especially when his hand is in his mouth. He falls asleep easily when he's held. He really has been a dream baby. Don't hate...I'll probably have a little troublemaker for my next one.

Nicknames: Colt calls him "Goo" or "Gooey" because Cash says that all day long. Colt even signed my Mother's Day Card from Cash, "I Love You - Gooey". We both call him Cashy, Cashman, or Sweetieface. I still call him "my love" most of the time.

New to this Week (or last few weeks): We've had two birthday parties in the last few weeks. One was Miss Mia Ciampa's first birthday, and the other was Miss Ashlyn Clark's first birthday! We had a great time at both. It was my first child birthday party that I attended with a child of my own in tow. We had a great time. Colt and I are thoroughly enjoying being in the "parent club" now. Speaking of the "parent club", Colt, Cash and I met some fellow parents and their babies at Wiregrass for a lovely evening last Monday night. We met Trey, Jamie and Dylan Keller ad Greg, Megan and Mia Ciampa for some dinner at Cantina Loredo and a stroll around the mall. It was so much fun to get together with couples our own age with children. You should have seen us at the restaurant with our strollers, diaper bags, and baby toys littering the ground and table. We had a blast! We all agreed that Trey and Jamie need to move closer so Dylan can grow up with Cash and Mia.

Goal for this week: My goal for this week, and the next few weeks is to lose 10 to 15 lbs. I've lost all of my baby weight as of last week, but I would like to lose a little bit more. Before I got pregnant, I had gained about 10-15 lbs. due to hormones related to some cysts on my ovaries (and my lack of motivation to keep the weight off). When I got home from the hospital after having Cash, I had only lost about 10lbs. At my first checkup after the baby, a week after he was born, I had lost 20 lbs.! I had only gained about 29 or 30 in my pregnancy. At that point I only had about 9 or 10 lbs. to lose. I've had no motivation to lose the weight. I wanted to lose it, but I didn't want to TRY to lose it like I needed to. Haha! I've had about 3 lbs. to lose for 3 months and I've just recently lost it. NOW my goal is to lose the 10-15lbs. I gained before my pregnancy. I want my Aunt Heather to take some family pictures of Colt, Cash and I when they're down for my brother's graduation, and I DON'T want to look fat! Anyhoo, that's my goal. Will it happen...doubtful!

So that's what's been going on. I hope you enjoyed reading my everlasting blogstopper. :) Thanks for reading!

"I Just Thought You Should Know": Marriage

I'm in one of those really happy, mushy, and blissfully emotional moods right now, so please excuse me if this post is gag worthy. Life is good. I've been inspired by the title of Kate Gosselin's new book I Just Thought You Should Know. Although I don't endorse Kate Gosselin or her books, I thought this was an inspiring title. As a new mother, there is so much I want Cash to know about myself, Colt and our life in general. Perhaps that's why my posts are so long and detailed and I take about a million pictures of him per day. I don't want to forget anything, and I want to be able to show him how happy we are to have him. This post will be my version of I Just Thought You Should Know on the topic of "Marriage", combined with a few of my hopes for the man Cash will turn out to be. I plan on making a series of posts on I Just Thought You Should Know, on different topics. They may be long, and they may be detailed, but I make no apologies. These posts, more than any of the others, are for Cash. So, my love, this one is for you!

"Marriage"

Everyone says that having a baby changes your marriage. In my limited experience, I don't know that I would agree that it CHANGES your marriage, but it has definitely made our bond more significant.

To begin, I'll try to keep it light. You always hear about those girls who get married, and then their husbands start to complain that they don't dress up anymore, or they stop wearing makeup, etc. I did NOT want to be one of those girls. I made a point to try and look cute, even if we were just going to a movie or out to dinner. Of course there were days that I looked a mess, but you understand what I'm saying. An effort was made on most days. When you're pregnant, especially towards the end, and you're big and fat, and your feet start to swell, and your nose starts to spread across your face, its almost impossible to look OR feel beautiful. I thought that was bad...until I was in labor. There is no "looking cute" in labor. I showered that morning before they started my Pitocin, but was already contracting pretty hard, as my Cervidil was started the night before. I was hoping to look at least presentable because I knew there would be photos of Colt and I with the baby. I was an atrocious mess. I continued to look like an atrocious mess until well after I arrived home. My pre-pregnancy, cute pajamas turned into old baggy t-shirts that I could nurse in. I was still trying to figure out how to get ready with a baby in the mix. I would get a shower, and then the baby would start to cry, so putting on makeup and drying my hair wasn't my first priority at that minute. You want to look cute after having a baby. After all, you've been steadily gaining weight for nine months. I really did enjoy my pregnancy, although I had been looking forward to feeling like my normal self again. What I learned through all of the turmoil of those first two weeks post-labor, was that Colt couldn't care less about those things. Of course, I'm sure he doesn't want me walking around looking like a nomadic gypsy at this point, but I could see that this was one way our bond had become more significant. During pregnancy, and labor husbands see some pretty disgusting stuff and all modesty is thrown out the window. During labor, and for a time after labor, you ain't lookin' so hott (or at least I wasn't). The whole process reaffirms the promise that Colt loved me for me, and loved me for giving him a baby. Experiences like that, when your partner sees you at your worst, always bring the two of you closer together, and it really strengthens your relationship.

Colt and I have always had a really good relationship. We were never one of those couples that breaks up and gets back together a million times. It has been pretty smooth sailing since we met. We've both always said, even if we both had never been romantically interested in each other, we would have been best friends. Before you go throw up, let me redeem myself by saying this doesn't mean that we never bicker. Of course, like every married couple, we do have our moments!

One of the best compliments I can give Colt is that he always takes the time to understand where I'm coming from. He has the ability to put himself in my shoes to really understand what I'm trying to tell him. This quality is invaluable for me in a partner because I'm a big "communicator". If there is something that is bothering me, I have to talk about it and I won't feel better until I do. He is the same way. In my opinion, even when you're not the type of person that needs to talk about things, you should force yourself to communicate, no matter how awkward or uncomfortable you are. Its not healthy to bottle things up! Repression leads to resentment! Hey...I'm a stay at home mom, I have to get SOME use out of my psych degree. :)

Part of the reason I think Colt and I work so well together is because we are opposites in many ways, and the same where it counts. I knew I wanted to marry someone that shared the same values and beliefs that I did. This was of the utmost importance to me. I knew Chase through Tara before I met Colt, so I already knew what kind of family he had come from. He had a family like mine. They went to church three times a week, and had parents that were very active members in their congregation. He had a good example of marriage at home, with traditional gender roles. There was a lot of love in their family, and if you've ever seen Colt with his mom, you would just know he was going to be a good husband. That's what I was looking for. I knew within the first few times I talked to him that I was going to marry him. "I knew the way you know about a good melon."

I won't go into all of the "magic" and the wooing and the song writing ;) although there was plenty of all of that, I think I'll save some things just for Cash's ears. I want him to know what a good father he has, but not only that. I want him to know what a good husband I have. I'm so thankful that this is the type of marriage I have, that will be an example to our children.

As I said earlier, our marriage has become more significant since Cash's arrival. More significant in that, its not just about us anymore. Our children will be watching everything we do as a married couple. Colt and I were riding in the car the other day, and I told him, I can remember being a kid, sitting in the backseat during road trips, "thinking". There were so many times when Emilee or Brian Jr. would want to play road trip games, and I'd always be looking out the window, telling them, "Not now, I'm thinking." I can remember driving at night on one of our many trips to Florida from Tennessee, when the car was dark and quiet, listening to the radio, and watching my father lean over and grab my mother's hand to hold. That is still my idea of real romance. When your minivan is full of kids, making a 12 hour trip out of state, you still find time to see the beauty in your relationship, and share a seemingly private moment with your spouse. That is where it starts for kids.

My father's example as a husband cemented my preferences for what my husband would be like one day, and I'm so thankful for that. As many of you know, my biological father, Cole Venable, passed away when I was 2 years old. Things could have turned out very differently for me. If my mother had never remarried, or married a different kind of man, I could have been a very different person. God really blessed our family the day that my father (Brian) and mother met. Mama has had the privilege of being married to two great men in her life.

I want Cash to always be aware of his actions, not only in his marriage, but life in general. I want him to be aware of how his actions will affect other people. One reason (among many others) that I know Colt will always be faithful to me is because he is aware of how his actions will affect other people. He realizes that infidelity would destroy our marriage, our children, and our families. I want Cash to treat his wife not only how he would want to be treated, but better! I realize that one of my jobs as his mother, is to prepare him for his future role as a husband by showing him how to treat a girl. I know Colt will show him a good example, but I can offer a female perspective that he doesn't have. I hope Cash feels that he can always come to me with any question.

I'm finding it difficult to end this post. I feel like there is so much more I want to say on this topic. I realize (almost) three years of my marital experience is just a drop in the bucket to many couples I know, and I may look back on this post several years from now and laugh about how juvenile, and ambitious it sounds. I don't care. It's how I feel now, which is what I'm trying to express. When I look back on these last few years that we've been married, the one word I can think of to describe them is simply, happy. Its such a plain jane word, but its the truth. I wake up everyday to a husband I truly love, and truly love being around. He makes my life exciting and full of laughter. I wish that for Cash. Colt and I will be so happy if we are able to watch him enjoy the same type of relationship one day.

This post is obviously my take on marriage. I welcome any comments or advice that my married readers would like to give Cash that I may have not included. I love hearing about happy marriages!

I hope this wasn't too "gag-worthy", but I think that honoring one's spouse, and marriage every once in a while is healthy. In the wise words of Martha Stewart, "It's a good thing." Thanks to everyone for reading. Look for more "I Just Thought You Should Know" posts coming soon!

14 Weeks: "Sweetieface the Cuddlebug"

I'm going to try to make these updates more of a progress report instead of a novella. I'll save my lengthy posts for when I really have something important to say...so stay tuned, I've got a few in the works. All that to say, I don't want to neglect or belittle my milestone documentation duties. My documenting/blogging/picture taking has almost reached obsessive proportions, as I don't want to forget ANYTHING. I know I'll be thankful for these updates one day. My mom recently read my monthly milestones to me. It was interesting to see where Cash is at compared to where I was at. At three months, I was around 13 lbs., my sister was around 13 lbs., and my brother...well he was 17 lbs. at TWO MONTHS! He was so fat, but you'd never know it if you saw him now! Anyway, I'll try to keep this short and sweet!

Physical: I'm not sure how much he weighs, but I weighed myself, and then weighed him and there was a 15.5 lb. difference. Colt did the same, and there was a 14.5 lb. difference, so we'll say he's somewhere between 14 and 16 lbs. at 14 weeks. I'll be more specific as soon as I can find out for sure. He still has a clogged tear duct. His hair is thinner, but I can't tell if he's still losing it because I couldn't tell he was losing it to begin with until I saw the difference in pictures.

Sleeping Habits: He's sleeping a lot more lately although not 7 or 8 hours at night like he had been. We've been getting about 4 to 5 hour stretches. He still prefers to sleep with me, which he usually does at some point in the night. I start him out in the cradle, but Colt and I both love having him in the bed with us, and he likes it, so he usually ends up there. The other night, he was having some "tummy troubles", and the only way he would sleep was if he had one hand on each side of my face, and we slept nose to nose...literally. My lips were holding his pacifier in. Of course we didn't sleep that way the whole night, as I wouldn't want to expose him to my carbon dioxide (or morning breath).

Eating Habits: He's still predominantly nursing although he takes a bottle occasionally, when its convenient. We've tried some more "solid" foods, and he seems to like everything, with the exception of carrots, although we may still give those another try. He likes pears, bananas, peas and green beans. Coincidentally, he's tried them in that order (with carrots fitting between the bananas and peas). For about a week and a half it seemed that he didn't want to nurse as long. He used to do 10 minutes on each side, but started wanting only about 5 on each. He's back to about 8-10 on each again.

Milestones: I would say the solid foods are a milestone. He is still trying to grasp toys and sometimes he does pretty well with it. He's REALLY good about holding his head up. He can almost support it completely by himself.

His Favorites: His favorite toys are his Lion, "Lionel", which has a rattle on his feet and different fun noise makers on each appendage, his soft book, and "Clara" the musical fish. He loves giving us kisses and when we give him "zurburts" on his neck. He also loves any game of anticipation, and he squeals with excitement.

Personality: The boy LOVES TO CUDDLE! This is one of my favorite things about him. He can't get enough cuddle time. He is very sweet natured, and smiles easily. He hasn't laughed yet, but he does a grunting noise sometimes, which I think will turn into his laugh a little bit later. He is a very content baby. He loves sitting in our laps, and looking around at the world. He loves riding in his stroller with the top pushed back so he can see everything. He is such a people watcher. I love his curiosity. Cash is almost always good when we go out to dinner (has only mildly fussed twice). If he does start to get fussy, he is easy to calm, and just sits on my lap and listens to the conversation. He also loves to "talk" and babbles all the time. His favorite phrase is still "A-GOO", although many of you may have seen him say "Hi" on one of my videos. Cash is also a fan of constant motion. He loves the feeling of riding in the car or his stroller which is such a blessing for us!

Humor: My mother, who has always been a big proponent of spanking a child if need be, has suddenly had a change of heart. Not really of course, but she says it is definitely different when its your grandbaby who is the "spankee". I told her that he is getting to the point where he is screaming, not crying, but screaming out of annoyance or anger. Now before I get hate mail, NO I haven't spanked him. We call them "pops". I told my mom, the other day, I had to give him a pop on his diaper because he screamed in anger. Of course he felt no pain because it was no harder than how I hit him on the back when I'm burping him, but he did feel a physical response to his audible stimulus. :) Does that count as using my psych degree? HA! When I told my mom about his first "pop" she responded with these exact words..."Don't you touch my sweetieface." I love that story!

New to this week: We've been taking walks everyday, and he loves "working out" with Mama and Daddy. Also, I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but one of the cool features on our swing is that you can replace the seat that came with the swing with his carrier/carseat. Its more convenient when you're coming in from the car with a sleeping baby, to stick his carrier on the swing base, and let him swing than it is to transfer him from the carrier to the swing seat. Anyway, we had been using the carrier as the sole seat because the seat that came with it, although extremely fashionable and a good match with our living room (the seat is giraffe print), it was still a little bit too big for Cash. All that to say, we started using the bigger seat this week. We also took the head positioner out of his carseat.

Colt and I were just saying we can't believe we have a 3 1/2 month old! Don't ask me where the time went. INSANE! LoveLoveLoveCan'tGetEnough of him. :)

12 Weeks: My Baby Can Read...Sort of

Starting to look a little more like Mama this week? What do you think?

Cashman is 12 weeks! Its not quite 3 months exactly because he was born on the 13th, but we're almost there. He is growing like crazy, and he's had so many new milestones recently. I think of new post ideas to start almost daily, and I don't have the time to write them all. So where should I begin?

Physical: I don't think I've ever mentioned this before, but I wasn't sure of what it was until now (and I'm still not really sure). I think he may have a little birth mark over his right eye. Its a little light red patch that he's had since he was born. Its one of my favorite things about him. He also has a few little red dot type birth marks on the back of his neck. I love them because I had the same red dots when I was born. Another fun physical fact is that his fingernails seem to grow about three times faster than they should. I have to file them down at least once a week, if not more. Maybe this is normal? He is in size 2 diapers, 3-6 month jeans, and 3 month shirts/onesies.

Milestones: As previously mentioned, there are many this week. I kept hearing that Cash's hands would "open up" to be able to grab objects around this time, and for the past few weeks I've been waiting, and waiting...and waiting for that to happen. He has been grabbing handfuls of my hair for several weeks now, but he hasn't shown and interest in grabbing at his toys until this week. My mom bought him a little cloth Elmo book with squeaky toys built into the pages, and little pieces of fabric that make different noises, or are attached with string. Cash LOVES it! We started to use his high chair this week (which is related to another milestone to be discussed next) to assist in playtime among other things. We would sit him down in it, and put several of his toys on the tray. He grabbed the book immediately and proceeded to look at the pages like he was reading it. I have a video of it that I posted on our family YouTube channel, but I'll post it here also. Another milestone this week was the introduction of "solid" foods. We gave him pears on Sunday night and he LOVED them! We have a video of this also. Cash seems to be very flexible with everything in general, but especially with eating. He mainly nurses, but he also takes a breast milk bottle, formula, and now solid foods! Its been such a blessing because sometimes there's no place to nurse when you're out in public and its easier to give him a bottle. At dinner on Wednesday night, Cash was getting antsy at the table, and instead of me having to go to the bathroom to nurse him, I popped my little container of bananas out of my diaper bag and fed him in his carrier. SO easy! We bought some vegetables, and other fruits as well. Cash will be trying some new cuisine over the next few weeks, so I'll keep you updated on his likes and dislikes. So far he likes both bananas and pears and is kind of indifferent about carrots! I don't know if the next milestone I'm going to discuss is directly related to the solid foods, or he's just turned over a new leaf, but this is by far my favorite milestone...his new sleeping schedule (discussed in the next section). We've also started trying to mentally stimulate him during playtime. We lay all of his toys out on his mat, and show him how to play with them. We've also started the "Your Baby Can Read" program! I wasn't sure how much he'd like it, since the first step in the program is to show him words with no pictures. The directions say you should show the word, and repeat it several times while running your finger under the word from left to right, to show the direction in which you read. He LOVES it! I couple of times, Colt and I have thought we heard him try to mimic our speech. His favorite words are, "wave" and "arms up". They are the two words (or phrases) he seems to mimic most often. Of course, he isn't "saying" the words, but he makes noises that sound like our tone of voice when we read them to him.

Sleeping Habits: He's been sleeping for longer periods of time. He's slept 6 hours straight 2 nights this week, and about 4 to 5 hours straight the rest of the nights. This is a far cry from the 2 1/2 to 3 hour stretches I was getting. Now I suppose I should explain his normal sleeping "schedule". He's on the "no schedule, schedule". :) We don't put him down at a certain time, he sleeps when he wants to. He sleeps on and off throughout the 24 hours in a day. The only time I'm certain he'll be sleeping is between the hours of 6 and noon (because that's when I usually sleep). It might sound crazy, but that's the schedule we've been on since before Cash was born. I think I mentioned in a previous post that Colt and I haven't gone to bed before 2am since we've been married (alright, maybe once or twice). So far, its been working out. I know it won't last forever, but it works for now. He's not sleeping all the time, contrary to popular belief. We have plenty of playtime, and outside time everyday. He is still sleeping in bed with me most nights. I don't know who is going to have the harder time when he goes in his crib, me or him. I love sleeping with him. I always start him off in his cradle, but after about 15 minutes, he's starts making noises, which eventually leads to a scream. Not a crying scream, just a scream. I'll give him his pass (pacifier), and he'll calm down for a second, before he drops the pass deliberately and then screams again. After a few minutes of this, I bring him up in the bed with me. Colt and I were both laughing the other night when we were going through this routine. I picked him up to lay him in bed with me, and he started smiling and babbling in excitement. What a booger! He sleeps on a pillow, snuggled up next to me. Most nights we fall asleep with his forehead to my chin. I think the feeling of my breath on the top of his head calms him down because he falls right to sleep. I will miss that so much when he gets older.

Favorites: Currently, his favorite song is "Happy Together" by the Turtles. Colt had to learn it for a wedding he was playing. He started practicing it on his guitar in the guest room while I was nursing on the couch. After the first few chords, Cash, who was half asleep at the time, started to chuckle. At first I thought it was just a fluke, but then he woke up completely and started to do this grunt type laugh that he does. I called Colt to come in the living room where we were, and he started playing it again. Cash started smiling and chuckling again. We don't know why he likes it so much, but he does. His favorite toy this week would have to be his Elmo soft book. He also really likes a book I bought him about trucks. He seems to like books in general.

Nicknames: If I'm not careful Cash is going to think his name is "my sweet love" because I call him that more than anything. Its either that, or "my love", "my boy", "my baby", or "Cashy". Colt has recently taken to calling him "Goose" because the back of his hair looks, and feels like goose feathers. I think its a sweet nickname, but always makes me think of Top Gun. We both call him "Cashman" or "Loveman". I've heard my dad call him "Scooter", and my mom calls him "Cashy" but it sounds like "Cassie", which drives my sister and Colt crazy. I like it though. :)

The second month of Cash's life is ending just as great as it started. His personality is developing more and more everyday. We feel so priviledged to be his parents and watch him grow.

YouTube Channel Link: http://www.youtube.com/user/CACFamily?feature=mhw5

Cashman's 10th Week: The Evil Norovirus

It was written that I would love you

From the moment I opened my eyes

And the morning when I first saw you

Gave me life under calico skies

I will hold you

For as long as you like

I'll hold you
For the rest of my life

-Calico Skies by Paul McCartney

This song was in our wedding. Its about a romantic relationship between a man and a woman, but while listening to the lyrics one day, I realized it could apply to a mother and child relationship. We chose if for the song that our mothers would walk down the aisle to. Every time I hear it, I think of my mother, my love for Colt, and now, our sweet son. Just thought I would share part of it.

Hello everyone! I hope this reaches everyone doing well, and in GOOD HEALTH! Good health...probably something I won't be taking for granted again for a long while. The Clark household has been taken down by the Norovirus this week. Poor Cash, had to spend his 10 week "birthday" a sad little sicko. I'll give you the Reader's Digest version of our week so far, and the move on to the more fun, less disgusting news.

We had a great weekend (3/19-21), visiting with my Grandma Jan, Grandpa Tony, my Uncle Kevin, his wife Katie, and a friend of the family named Zeke who were all in from Ohio. Sunday night, after church we met my Grandpa Sal and Grandma Dee at Village Inn so we could catch up and they could see Cash. All the while, I was feeling just fine! When we got home on Sunday night, I thought it might be nice to take a bath, so I drew the water, and relaxed for a good 15 or 20 minutes. Out of nowhere I started to feel a little bit queasy, but I figured it was just because I had been sitting in the hot water for to long, so I got out of the tub. I got in my pajamas, and sat down on the couch to nurse, and I started feeling REALLY sick! I asked Colt to hold the baby, and I headed straight to the bathroom. From that point on, I was throwing up. ALL NIGHT LONG! It was the most violent sickness I've ever had. I was getting sick in about 5 minute intervals, sometimes less. It started to become painful and I could tell I was extremely dehydrated. I ended up bringing my blanket and pillows into my bathroom and camping out on the floor. Colt was so sweet, and took care of Cash all night long. The only problem was, Cash wanted his Mama. He basically screamed the entire night. I could hear Colt trying to calm him down, but he couldn't be consoled. It was so pitiful. It broke my heart because all I wanted to do was go out in the living room and hold him, and comfort him, but I couldn't. I couldn't even pick myself up off the floor, much less hold him. At one point, I stood up to splash some water on my face, and I felt like I was going to faint. I caught a glimpse of my face and it was completely white. I had no pigment in my lips or face anymore. I started getting pretty worried that I was going to have to go to the hospital and be put on an IV. At some point in the night, I dragged myself over to my bed, as Colt was watching Cash in the living room. I slept on and off until Monday morning. I started feeling better around 1pm the next day. Better as in not puking up my guts, but I was still very nauseated and my head was KILLING me! I tried to drink to replace my fluids, but it was very difficult keeping anything down. Food was impossible. It was a horrific experience. Thankfully, Sharon (Colt's mom) offered to take care of Cash for a few hours on Monday so Colt could get some sleep. He had been up all night trying to take care of Cash. I'm SO thankful for such a sweet mother in law, especially one with so much experience with baby boys.

Being sick when you're only responsible for yourself is bad enough, but being a sick Mama is horrible. I felt so helpless. I wanted to take care of Cash but it was literally impossible. Even if I could, I didn't want to get him sick. Nursing was a whole other issue. Thankfully, I pump occasionally and I had a few bags of breast milk in the freezer, so Cash had something to eat. I was able to nurse him once, but I was so sick, I didn't think it was safe to try it again. I kept waking up on Monday morning and I noticed my shirt was getting increasingly more wet from my milk. By Monday night, I started nursing again, but something was different. After I nursed for the first time, the milk didn't really "refill" itself over the next few hours like it usually does. I was SO dehydrated that my milk supply had almost completely depleted. That was so depressing. Thankfully, Cash is an easy going baby, and he's willing to take a bottle if need be. Also, we've supplemented with formula occasionally from the time he was born (in the first few weeks after I'd pump and wasn't sure if I had enough milk to feed him right after). He would take the formula, or frozen breast milk for his main nourishment, but I still tried to nurse him to get my supply back. It took a lot of work, but over the next few days I got my milk supply back. I had to drink a lot of fluids, get in some extra calories, and NURSE, NURSE, NURSE!

Cash seemed to be getting the beginnings of the virus by Wednesday. He had thrown up a few times on Tuesday night and was very lethargic. We called the Pediatrician around midnight on Tuesday night after he had his vomiting episodes, and she said to keep nursing him, and just keep an eye on him. If he got any worse, or couldn't keep anything down to call the next day. Colt and I both stayed up all night with Cash. I was worried that he would throw up in his sleep and choke on it, and I would be sleeping and unable to help. Finally around 5:30am on Wednesday morning, Cash was sleeping soundly next to me in my bed, so Colt and I decided it was safe to get a little sleep. I woke up to nurse around 7:30am. My "routine" for nursing in the middle of the night is to feed him on one side, change his diaper to wake him up, and then feed him on the other side. During his diaper change, I noticed it wasn't very wet. I started to get very worried that he was dehydrated. He had had that same diaper on since 3 or 4am and it was almost dry! Again, he seemed very lethargic, so I decided to call the doctor. She told me to bring him in around 9:45am. I forgot to mention, the night before (Tuesday), I had my first real meal since being sick. I wasn't thinking about what might settle my stomach. I was more concerned with eating as much as I could, to replenish my nutrients and to get my breast milk back. I had a 6oz. Outback Special with a baked potato and vegetables from Outback. Delicious! I lived to regret it by Wednesday morning when Colt and I had to take Cash to the doctor's office. I was very nauseated the whole time before, during, and for about an hour after. I suppose I should admit that it could have also been just a nervous stomach, worrying about my baby. Anyway, Wednesday morning Colt and I were busy trying to throw some clothes on ourselves, and dress my sweet little lethargic baby to go to the doctor. About 30 minutes before we were supposed to leave we noticed a complete change in his behavior. He was back to his usual smiley self, and even had a VERY wet diaper. I was relieved to know at least he wasn't dehydrated. We decided to go to the doctor's office anyway, but as Colt predicted, they said, "Yep, looks like he might be getting a little bit of the virus. Keep an eye on him, and try to keep him hydrated. That will be a $25 co-pay." :) He didn't have any more vomiting episodes until Saturday afternoon. Looking back, I don't know if he had the stomach virus, or if he was just jostled around a little bit to much after eating. Who knows! All I know is that everyone is healthy at the moment in the Clark household, and I'd like to keep it that way.

Today is Sunday, and we are exhausted! We really wanted to worship at our home congregation (Citrus Park Church of Christ), but as so many people are sick or have been sick with the Norovirus, we didn't want to chance going and getting sick again, or getting Cash sick. We decided to have a worship service with my parents at their campsite that they are vacationing at this weekend. My parents, sister, Uncle Bob, Aunt Ginger, and their kids Alexandria and Paul rent out two campsites at Fort Desoto Camp Grounds every year for a few days of vacation. They always look forward to spending time together. My brother is dog sitting for my parents this week. Colt and I are NOT campers, but we enjoy going out there to visit. As I said, we went down there to worship with them today. It was Cash's first time "camping" (for the 2 1/2 hours that we were there). It would have been a lovely afternoon if it wasn't POURING down rain! We still had a nice service anyway, and enjoyed spending time with everyone.

SO, what's new with Cashman you ask? He is becoming such a character!

Physical: They weighed him at the doctor's office on Wednesday after he had been throwing up, and he weighed 12lbs., 12oz. at 10 weeks exactly. The doctor was pleased with his growth. He has lost a little bit of his hair on top since his birth, but he still has a lot. Lastly, he's doing really well with holding his head up! He's not completely independent in that department yet, but we're almost there, I can feel it! :)

Idiosyncrasies: He had developed the most adorable habit of putting a closed fist to his mouth and licking the top of his hand. We call it "eating his invisible ice cream cone". Its so funny! He's really into licking fabrics also. He occasionally licks my shirt, his bibs, and burp cloths.

Personality: Not only is he smiling ALL THE TIME now, he has started to babble a lot. His favorite phrase is "A-Goo!" Colt or I will say it to him, and he'll say it back. My mom said I used to play the "A-Goo" game with my her and my Mammy (my maternal Great-Grandmother). Its so surreal to be communicating with him, even on such a small level. Also, he loves watching our ceiling fans and lights in the house. He's really into sitting in our laps facing out, so he can see whats going on in the room. He loves watching his surroundings. Maybe he just loves watching TV. Haha! He is such a laid back, happy baby with a very calm temperament.

Goals: My goal for this week is to get him outside some. Its been so cold over the last few weeks that I didn't want to take him for walks or go in the backyard, but I'm looking forward to taking advantage of the good weather now. I also need to be more diligent about "tummy time". He hates it, and usually ends up burying his face in the blanket, threatening to smother himself. He loves to kick around on his back though! The kid LOVES to kick! In fact, the other day, he kicked his pants off! I also want to start reading the directions on the "Your Baby Can Read" program. My Grandma Dee and Grandpa Sal bought it for Cash when I was pregnant. I don't think you're supposed to start until he is around 6 months, but we'll see.

Sleeping Habits: His "schedule" has been disrupted this week due to my sickness, and his vomiting issues, but nothing to drastic. I'm hoping to get on a better schedule this week. If I can't get him to sleep any other way, my one method that never fails is to put him on his tummy on my chest. He loves to be chest to chest with me. He falls to sleep within a few minutes without a peep every time. I love it when he sleeps like that. I think I'm going to hold off on putting him in his bed until he gets to 4 or 5 hour stretches. He's still waking up every 3 hours, and if I had to walk all the way across the house to his room a bunch of times a night to nurse, I'd be a sleepy girl. Its so convenient to have him in his cradle right next to me. So what if he's 10 years old and still sleeping bedside! Lay off people! :) Just kidding of course.

That's about it for now. I can't believe we're already at 10 1/2 weeks! I'll leave you with a little video! Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

My Smiley Boy

The Invisible Ice Cream Cone