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!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
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!
- 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!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
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.
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!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
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
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
Thursday, June 3, 2010
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!!!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
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!
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!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
"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!
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