The Butchino Family

Part of the Family

2011-12-18T21:40:00.001-05:00

We had a pretty traumatic night here this past Thursday. It made me realize that our family would truly fall apart if we had to be without one very important member...

It was about 5:30 and Steven had to run to the grocery store for some rice. Shortly after he left, our Boxer, Bianca, started ringing the bell on our back doorknob. That is what she does when she has to go potty. As I opened the door, before I could even think twice, she darted out the door. I didn't freak out over it, since she generally doesn't go very far. I called for her about a minute later and she didn't come. I started to get kind of worried, because it was dark and I couldn't see or hear her. I was afraid she had left our yard. After about 10 minutes, Steven came busting in the door yelling "I just hit Bianca! Oh my God!" At first, I thought he meant that she ran in front of the car in the driveway. He was panicking and searching all over for a flashlight since it was pitch black out. He kept running outside and yelling for her, then coming back in, unable to locate a flashlight.

I called my mom and told her we needed to borrow hers and to hurry up because it was an emergency. Steven explained that he was coming down our road and Bianca jumped out and he hit her going about 15mph. She immediately ran off and he couldn't really see which way she went. My mom arrived quickly with a flashlight and they both split up and went searching. Steven walked and she drove in her car.

After almost 3 hours, Steven came back home. He was alone. I automatically began crying. It was just too dark, so he decided he would go back out as soon as the sun came up. We tried to figure out what we would tell Carter when he asked where his dog was. I spent the next few hours pacing back and forth from window to window, occasionally opening the door and yelling her name. We decided that we would have to sleep in shifts, so that one of us was up in case Bianca came home. I went to bed and Steven stayed up. All I could do was cry thinking about her dying all by herself in the woods...or being hurt and unable to move. It was very cold outside and she is used to sleeping all snuggled up with us.

A few hours after I went into my room, Steven came in. I could tell he was ready to cry. All he said was "I killed my dog." I tried to comfort him, telling him that it wasn't his fault. It was an accident. I started crying again, too. I wasn't sure how we would function as a family without Bianca. We've had her since she was 10 weeks old...she was with us before the kids were born. He went back to the living room and I finally fell asleep.

About an hour later, Steven came busting in the door yelling "Can!! Wake up!!" I felt a big thud in the bed next to me. I ripped the covers off of my head and there was our precious girl! She was home!! After we all calmed down, we noticed that her paw was pretty messed up and swollen.

My sister-in-law works at a vet's office...thank God we have her!! It turns out that there are no broken bones...just a few bad scrapes. She is on Tramadol for 5 days for the pain and she is doing great! At first, she was hobbling around on 3 paws, but now she is walking on it normally. We were told to clean it with peroxide just in case of infection, but other than that, she is good to go! I am so thankful that she is ok.

Honestly, I always complain that Bianca is so hyper and jumps all over the place, but when I see how happy we make her...and how happy she makes us, I see that nothing else really matters. She is part of our family and we wouldn't be the same without her.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

2011-12-05T21:24:00.008-05:00

The Butchino household is in the Christmas spirit!! With less than 3 weeks to go, I am proud to say that not only am I done shopping for the kids, but 95% of their presents are wrapped!! Last year, I remember frantically wrapping at the kitchen table with Steven on Christmas Eve after the kids were in bed. I decided I didn't want to be stressed on Christmas Eve this year, so I took my time over a few days and got it done. There are 2 more gifts to wrap, but I am waiting for them to be delivered.

Both of the kids are sick right now. Poor Carter is an absolute mess. He woke up coughing and crying last night and I knew we were in for a doozy. I feel awful for him. And of course there isn't much I can do other than give him medicine and cuddle him as much as possible. Brookie has it too, but not nearly as bad...which I am thankful for since there aren't many options as far as medicine for her. I just hope they're both feeling better in time for our annual family Christmas party on Saturday. Prayers needed! In the meantime, we are still trying to keep the Christmas cheer going with them. Lots of decorations, music, and activities. Hopefully they can still enjoy them.

We have a very special addition to our family this Christmas. He is our very own Elf on the Shelf. If you have one, you know that naming them is a very important thing and it is the 1st order of business upon your elf's arrival. I asked Brooklyn what she wanted to name our elf. Her answer was "Seven, eight, nine." I said, "Well, that's kind of long...how about just Seven? Carter, do you like the name Seven for our elf?" He said, "I would like to call him Seven Baby Elf." I said "OK...but we can call him Seven for short." Our elf is a mischievous little guy. Look what he did to my countertops tonight!!

I hope you are all enjoying this wonderful holiday season as much as we are! Don't forget to take a time-out from the busy hustle and bustle to look around and be thankful for each and every blessing in your life. No matter how crazy things get this time of year, I always remember how lucky I am to have such a wonderful family to share it with! Happy Holidays!!

iPhone Photos and Carter's Birthday Party! Picture Post!!

2011-11-13T12:20:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted in awhile, so I figured I would upload some photos from my iPhone to update you on the kiddos!!

Minnie and Mickey, ready to Trick or Treat. They had a blast!!

Steven took Carter into the woods to hunt for the 1st time.

Its a little too early, though! He couldn't keep quiet!!

Brookie loves tutus. She will twirl around and dance

in them every time we put one on her.

And she really likes to make this face a lot. Too funny!!

Carter's Kyle Busch themed birthday party was a raging success and we had a great time! I made the Pit Pass invitations and Steven and I made the cake by ourselves...

And here are some photos that my mother-in-law took during the party. I wasn't able to even get my camera out that day! I was a busy bee!!

After the party, my mother-in-law, the kids' Godmother, and us all went to Max & Erma's, which is our favorite restaurant. Carter and Brookie had to check out the lion made of of solid wood in the lobby while we were waiting for our table!!

Today, we are just enjoying a lazy Sunday before the craziness that each Monday brings!! I am so thankful that we have been so blessed and that we have each other!! I couldn't think of anywhere else I would rather be than at home with Steven, Carter, and Brooklyn! <3 Have a great week!!

Happy 3rd Birthday Baby Boy!

2011-10-29T17:07:00.003-04:00

October 29, 2008

October 29, 2009

October 29, 2010

October 29, 2011

My baby boy is 3 today! I can't believe how much he has grown. I am so proud of him and the little man he has become. Happy birthday Carter!! Mommy loves you!!

(You can see more photos from Carter's birthday HERE.)

Clickin' Moms Membership Giveaway WINNER!

2011-10-22T07:10:00.001-04:00

I used random.org to choose a winner for the Clickin' Moms membership contest and it chose comment #5.

Congratulations to Erin from theschulerfam.com!! You will be hearing from me very shortly about your membership! I'll see you on the boards!

Clickin' Moms Membership Giveaway!

2011-10-18T12:10:00.003-04:00

If you come here often, you already know that I love the Clickin' Moms forums. I have been a member for about 2 years now and my photography has improved considerably because of what I have learned from the wonderful women that post there. Whether you are just a mom who loves to take pictures of your little ones, a serious hobbyist, or a professional, I promise that you will benefit from CM.

I am giving away a free 1 year membership ($50 value) to the Clickin' Moms forums to one lucky reader. All you have to do to enter is comment on this post telling me how you would like to improve your pictures. To up your odds and get an extra entry, you can follow my blog if you haven't already by signing in with your Google account and clicking the link in the top left corner of this page. Just add an extra comment letting me know you have done so. I will post the extremely lucky winner on Friday!

Learn How to RYC!

2011-10-12T13:55:00.000-04:00

Sick and Tired

2011-10-12T13:34:00.000-04:00

Ugh...I am sick. I woke up a couple days ago with that horrible tingle in my throat. Then yesterday morning, the little mucus family was partying it up in my head. Poor Carter has it, too. He is worse than I am and I feel awful for him. Its so sad to see my poor guy coughing and sneezing. And he just looks so sick in his eyes. He is trying to jump around and play, but the poor thing is feeling just plain icky. Today, we are just hanging out in our PJs in my big fluffy recliner watching cartoons and movies. Steven is making stew for dinner and after the kids go to bed, I think we might PPV "Horrible Bosses". It looks pretty funny...with the way I am feeling, I could use a good laugh.

We had our first house showing. The feedback wasn't terrible, but it said that the buyer didn't like the "terrible cat odor in the basement." I was like, "Umm...what!?" We don't have a cat!! We have never had a cat!! I talked to my realtor about it and she said "I never smelled any pet odor whatsoever and you keep your house cleaner than most people. I wouldn't worry about it." But, needless to say, I have been asking every person that sets foot in my home to go downstairs and tell me what they smell. So far, the only answer we have gotten is "you know...like, basement smell." That is not something I can change. The windows don't open...because it is a basement!! So, I am going to get some Rid to absorb the moisture odor. Hopefully that helps. I can tell this process is going to be a stressful one.

Well, its time to cuddle my little guy and maybe see if he will drink some Pedialyte and take a nap. I just hope he gets better soon. Here is a PhotoBooth pic of me and the kiddos from last night...

I am truly blessed.

Our Baby is 1!

2011-09-25T18:49:00.003-04:00

Brookie is officially 1 year old! Sorry so long since my last update. I can explain. But first, here are some photos from her birthday party!!

My cake lady couldn't do the cake on short notice,

so I did it myself. I was pretty proud!

Pardon my lack of makeup. We spent the morning in

the sun at my dad's camp.

So...onto the family update. Bullets will be the best way to do this...since there's a lot going on.

Our house is officially for sale. We have decided to move back to New York. We really want the kids to grow up with their cousins. I have a niece and nephew (and another nephew on the way) who barely know me and that really bothers me. We realize that it is not a seller's market, but we have put it in God's hands and have faith that He will put us where we are supposed to be.
Carter is almost 100% potty trained! We are just working on him pooping on the potty. He is completely out of diapers, though...even at night.
Brooklyn is walking! She started a few days ago and is doing great!!

Carter's 3rd birthday is coming up at the end of October. He wants a NASCAR birthday. We have picked out Pit Pass invitations and I am making a race track cake.
Brooklyn is absolutely obsessed with baby dolls. You rarely ever see her without one...she tries shoving 2 or more into her doll stroller at one time and will push them around all day. If she doesn't have one and wants one, she will yell "Baby doll!" and get to the nearest one as fast as she can. She got about 15 new dolls for her birthday.
I heard from one of the DJs at WKKY, the radio station I Guest DJed at a couple summers ago. They asked me to do the show again. Rumor has it they are hiring. Fingers crossed!!
We switched from cable to DirecTV/ATT so we can get the NFL Sunday Ticket. I saved quite a bit of money, so that was a nice surprise!

Well, that about sums it up. I'm sure life will continue to get crazier, but we say "Bring it on!!" We can handle anything as long as we are together! I will leave you with a funny video of the kids that I took on my cell phone at my mother-in-law's.

Brooklyn's 1st Birthday Shoot

2011-09-01T18:28:00.002-04:00

I did Brooklyn's 1 year photos this week. We returned to the same park that we did my maternity photos at almost a year ago. I can't believe how big my little girl is getting. I can imagine her birthday will be a rough day for me. My last baby is growing up way too fast!

Back with my Mac!

2011-08-26T22:49:00.003-04:00

I haven't had much opportunity to blog since my laptop was ruined. My AppleCare protection plan didn't cover accidental damage, so I was stuck buying a brand new MacBook Pro. I just got it today. Thankfully, the guy was able to transfer most of the files from the other one, so I didn't lose too much. I also bought a 2TB Time Capsule, which wirelessly backs up all of my files automatically. If something like this were to happen again, at least each and every file will be safe and sound.

So much has happened in the last 2 months. At the beginning of this month, Steven left his job and we decided that we are ready to move back to New York. He began applying for jobs and actually landed one right away. We certainly weren't expecting it to happen so quickly, since we still have a house to sell. We gave it a try to see if he could stay in NY and work while the kids and I stayed behind and prepared the house to go on the market. We are just too good of a team...he spoke to his employer and told them the story. They said to let them know when we were back for good and hopefully they would have a position open for him. It was certainly worth a try, but he is my love, my best friend, my partner in everything I do, and we just couldn't be apart for such a length of time. He returned home and we are now preparing the house to go on the market...which is way more work than I ever expected. I pray that it sells quickly and that we can get back to NY soon.

The kids are growing like crazy!! Brooklyn will be 1 on September 10th. She is talking and almost walking all by herself! She pushes her baby stroller now and I expect her to take off any day now! Carter is on his way to being potty trained. He has had a few accidents here and there, but I am so proud of my big boy! As soon as I upload all of the photos that I've taken since "the juice incident", I will do a picture post. You won't believe your eyes!!

Now that I am back online, I promise I won't stay away too long! Expect lots more updates as we get further into this stressful but fun process of selling/buying/moving!

Wishing Summer Would Never End

2011-07-17T16:07:00.000-04:00

We have been making the most of this beautiful weather and spending a lot of time outside. Steven just got off of night shift for 2 weeks, which was very difficult. I did my best and had a good amount of help from my mom, but I am certainly happy to have a break from it! He had the weekend off and goes back on days tomorrow.

We had a very very unfortunate mishap the other night. I was doing some birthday party projects on my MacBook Pro and Carter kept getting up giving me all sorts of excuses to why he couldn't go to sleep. He started to climb my wheelchair and went to grab my glass of juice that was sitting next to my laptop on the counter...over it went. I immediately dried the computer off and flipped it over, but the damage was done. It is completely fried. I lost everything. I am in the process of purchasing a new one, but I am searching for the best price. My mom let me borrow her MacBook Pro for the weekend.

Anyway, back to the summer fun! My mother-in-law and the kids' Godmother came to visit from NY for the weekend. Grandma brought the kids a water/sand table and some other goodies. Godmother "Diz" bought them a pool while they were here. We had such a fun time. We played, relaxed, and cooked out the last 2 days. They had to go back home today, but we will be making a trip up there in 2 weeks for Steven's birthday, so we have that to look forward to.

Here are some pictures from our fun weekend!!

Let Freedom Ring!

2011-07-08T22:29:00.003-04:00

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July! We certainly did! I had a huge family get-together at my house. Usually, the parties are at my aunt's, but this year I was nominated...and I was so excited! Steven had 3 days off in a row before the holiday, so he worked his butt off to make the outside of our house look nice. We really had been neglecting it...there were weeds everywhere and the shrubbery was out of control. We had 2 yards of mulch delivered and he worked on it for 2 days straight...on his days off.

This is what he had to work with. It was like this everywhere.

He's a miracle worker, isn't he??

So, the yard looks excellent and the party was a blast. Not as many people showed up as I had hoped, but that just ended with us having lots of yummy leftovers! Sorry I don't have any pictures...I was trying to be a good hostess and had no time to step back and snap and shots.

We took the kids to watch fireworks on Monday night. I was very surprised, but Brooklyn was laughing hysterically the entire time! She loved them!! Carter was a bit more leary of them, but after he got used to the loud noises, I think he really enjoyed them, too. I had my friend's 5 year old daughter man my point-and-shoot camera for the evening to make sure we got a couple family pictures. She wants to follow in my footsteps and be a photographer...so I put her to work every chance I get!

Now I'm onto planning our next party, which will be Brookie's 1st birthday. She has grown so fast!! I can't believe it has been 10 months since we were blessed with our adorable little diva. She is now crawling, talking like crazy, and pulling herself up on everything she can get her hands on. She loves being independent, very much unlike her snuggly-buggly older brother, and prefers being on the floor by herself over being held. She is an amazing eater, also unlike her brother. We still have to bribe him to eat. He's so skinny. Brookie only weighs 10 pounds less than Carter. She wears a size 3 diaper, he wears a size 4. Even though they are so different, they love each other to pieces and they interact so well. It melts my heart.

I am one very blessed mama!

Making it Work

2011-06-29T18:05:00.000-04:00

Steven is doing great with his new job. It has been somewhat tough because he works swing shift, 12 hour days. I have had very little help, especially when he works from 7pm-7am. I am not able to transfer myself into my bed from my wheelchair, so I have had to stay up all night long to be sure that I can care for the kids in the event that they may need me in the middle of the night. I am, however, able to get to the couch by myself. So, I went to Babies R Us last night and got the Delta Portable Crib.

Now, I can put it next to me, whether I have help into bed or I get to the couch alone. Carter is mobile enough to be able to come to me if he needs me, so I will just have to be sure I have everything I could possibly need within reach before I lay down for the night.

While I was at Babies R Us, I finally caved and purchased the Combi All-in-One Activity Walker in pink for Brooklyn. I have been wanting to buy it for a long time and I just had to do it! Isn't it adorable?

She is still getting the hang of it, since Carter's old Jeep Liberty Renegade Walker has back wheels that only go forward and backward...and these ones also go side to side. She will figure it out in no time!

So...onto me. About 3 weeks ago, I caught my big toenail on my shoe when I was putting it on and it bent backwards. It was all bloody underneath and started to pull away from my nail bed. I caught it a couple more times after that, since it was sticking up a bit. It just kept getting worse, so I called my doctor and told her. She told me to put Neosporin on it and keep it covered. I did as she said and it just never got any better, so she referred me to a specialist. I went today. He told me I had 2 choices. I could keep the nail and he could poke a hole in it to drain the blood underneath, or he could remove the nail. He said it would eventually fall off anyway, so I told him just to take it off so I could speed up the process. I was not at all excited about going all summer with no toenail, but he said I could keep a Band-Aid over it so nobody could see it. He gave me 3 injections to numb my foot and removed my toenail...it was still painted pink. I went directly to Walmart and bought leopard print Band-Aids for the re-growth process, which will take 6-9 months. I tell you, only I can injure my foot without ever walking on it!

Well, I'm off to play with the kiddos for the last hour before Steven gets home from work...then we are grilling out for dinner! Yum!!

Sunshine & Summer Time!

2011-06-28T11:29:00.002-04:00

I have been slacking on picture posts, so I took a few with my point & shoot the last week or so. I lost both my camera USB plug and my card reader...thankfully, Steven's cell phone USB works, too! We've been having a great time this summer, indoors and out! I should have lots more photos after this weekend. I'm throwing a huge 4th of July Celebration on Sunday.

Yesterday, I went to get all of the decorations, plates, cups, etc. for the party. I will be picking up a ton of red, white, and blue balloons Sunday morning to deck the back yard out! I love balloons!! Steven has been working on a huge gift for me. Something I have been begging him for since we moved in almost 5 years ago. I will post photos when he is all finished. Its going to be amazing and a beautiful addition to our back yard. Stay tuned!

OK...onto the pictures!!

We Love Organics!

2011-06-27T20:42:00.004-04:00

I haven't posted recently about home made baby food. This is mainly because I haven't had much time on my hands since Steven has gone back to work. I have been slacking on things in that department...but Brookie hasn't suffered from it! Although I am not making the food, I am still feeding her all organic.

I have learned a lot about shopping for organics and what products are (in my humble, motherly opinion) the best. As far as baby food, when I cannot steam my own fresh (or frozen) foods, I use Earth's Best.

Not many baby food brands offer all of the diverse combinations that Earth's Best does. I went shopping 2 days ago at Walmart and picked up Pumpkin & Apples and a few different Fruit & Whole Grain Combinations. I really like that I can give Brooklyn all of the different tastes that I would if I was making the food myself.

Another money saving quick organic food that I give her is just plain unsweetened apple sauce. I usually either buy the store brand or Musselman's.

Snacks are a bit harder to find. There aren't many organic snack foods that are soft enough to give to a 6-9 month old. I recently found that my local Babies R Us has an excellent organic foods section. The baby food is much cheaper at Walmart, but they have lots of snacks that no other stores carry. Right now, Brooklyn loves the Plum Organics Super Puffs as well as the Organic Mum Mum cookies.

I plan to continue giving Brooklyn both fresh and jarred baby food. I know she certainly enjoys it either way!! Eventually, I hope to go completely organic for the entire family.

Why Brooklyn Had 3 Baths Yesterday

2011-06-26T07:30:00.007-04:00

So, yesterday was by far the most difficult day (physically) I have had since I entered the crazy world of motherhood. Steven had to work 7am-7pm and I was with the kids all day by myself. Normally, I have a little help, but yesterday was Saturday and everyone was either working or busy. No big deal...they're my kids. I can handle it. Famous last words.

The day began fairly normally. We took Carter to the drive-in to see Cars 2 on Friday night, so he slept in a bit. Normal morning. The afternoon was when things started to go crazy. We had leftover subs in the refrigerator that we were planning on eating for lunch. I got Brooklyn in her Pack n' Play with a bottle of apple juice then set Carter up at the table with his food. Then I got my own. About 5 minutes later, I looked over at Brookie and she was covered in juice from head to toe. I put my sandwich down and took her into the bathroom for a "sink tubby" as Carter calls it. He followed me in, of course. I got her cleaned up and brought her back out to get dressed. As I came back into the kitchen, our boxer Bianca is licking her lips. I knew. Both of our subs were gone.

I got Carter some cereal for lunch, fixed the leaky juice bottle and put both kids down for their naps. I wiped down the inside of the playpen and did some housework while they were asleep. The afternoon after that was pretty non-eventful.

My aunt brought my little cousins over after nap time. They stayed for a little while and visited. After they left, Brooklyn started to fall asleep in my arms, so I made a bottle and put her in her crib. I listened in on the baby monitor and peeked in every few minutes. She didn't fall asleep, but was perfectly content playing with her crib toys. After about 15 minutes, Carter and I went in to get her. I was putting clothes away in her drawers, so when Carter climbed in her crib with her, I didn't mind. I went to grab them back out and I see something brown up Carter's arm. I was like "Oh no! He pooped!" Well, I was wrong. It was Brooklyn...and it was everywhere. I called my mom for re-enforcements! She is on night shift, so she was home sleeping. I got Carter out, undressed, wiped down, and got him in the tub. Then I went back for her. There was no way to pick her up and wheel us both into the bathroom without covering myself in poop...but I had to do it. So, I put her in my lap, poop and all, and got her to the sink...again. I started to get her undressed and my mom came in. Thank God! She took over with Brooklyn and I got myself washed up and changed my clothes. Then I finished Carter's bath. I got all of the poopy clothes and bedding in the wash and I had to wipe down the entire crib. It was awful!

Needless to say, I was exhausted by the time Steven got home. At some point after the 2nd bath, something got all over Brookie's face and hair. I assume it was baby food, because it ended up drying and got all crusty...bath #3. We ordered out for dinner because I had absolutely no time to cook, then I went straight to bed. And I'm up this morning doing it all over again...hopefully without the poop! Thank God Steven is off for the next 2 days!!

Dance, Dance

2011-06-25T06:49:00.006-04:00

I took this photo of my mom and the kids last month at my cousin's wedding...just thought I'd share! They are getting so big!!

And here is a video that Steven took on his phone of little man playing video games...just like Daddy!!

I hope you all like my new look! I spent part of yesterday giving myself a blog makeover! Not bad for DIY!!

What did I get myself into?

2011-06-20T07:37:00.000-04:00

Normally, I do not blog about the negative things in life...I feel like if I put them out there for the world to see, then I will be faced with the reality of how I feel. Well, this is just something I cannot shake and I need to get it off my chest.

I thought getting my tubes tied was the right thing. My body really didn't handle my last pregnancy very well and when I had my c-section, my OB even told me that I had a really thin spot on my uterus that could've ruptured. So, why do I feel so wrong about the fact that I am done having kids? I feel like my situation just isn't fair. I grew up saying that I would have lots of babies. I wanted kids crawling all over me as I got older. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for what I have...but the worst thing I hear (and I hear it a lot) is "Well, you have the perfect family. One boy and one girl." OK, so is that supposed to make me feel complete? Because it really doesn't. Another thing I have heard that frustrates me is "Be happy that you have the 2 that you have. Don't be selfish." Really?? I have been through the crazy emotional world of infertility...I know how to be thankful for what I have. But does it really make me selfish for wanting lots of children? Its not like I want to be Octomom or Michelle Duggar (not that I think they're wrong for having as many as they do...I get it.) I just wish I could've chosen how many children I wanted and said "OK, I'm done." when I truly felt complete.

I know there is always adoption or surrogacy, but I just wish things were easier. God knows the plan for my life...I just wish I did, too. I love my children more than anything in the world. That is absolutely true. I am very blessed and I will continue to be thankful for my perfect babies. I hope this awful feeling passes eventually. It isn't an easy one to deal with.

Its been a month, already?

2011-05-15T15:11:00.000-04:00

Wow! Seriously, this blog has been neglected. I am so sorry!! I have been hard at work on my photography business and taking care of this crazy family, that I haven't had much time for anything else. Let me see if I can catch you all up...

Carter is now 2 1/2 and he is outside his mind about 16 hours a day. I find myself using the phrase "Are you nuts??" quite often as I am rushing to stop him from doing something disastrous. He definitely keeps us on our toes! He is totally into claymation/stop motion type movies...right now, and for about the past few months, he has been obsessed with Coraline. He quotes phrases in his daily life. It is amazing to me that he remembers so much. We are still working on potty training, but without much luck. I am trying to stay optimistic, but I am desperately hoping that he catches on soon.

Carter was in Steven's cousin's wedding last weekend. What a ham! He made sure he was the star of the show. Steven had to sit in the very first pew holding up a bag of M&Ms just to get him to come down the aisle. He ran directly to my mother-in-law, yelling "Dramma! Dramma!" before he successfully made it up front. Then, after being announced at the reception, he chose the optimal time to show his break dancing skills...during the couple's 1st dance. The flower girl, Ava, joined him.

He had a blast and so did the rest of us! Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Scott Moyer!!

Carter with the MOB, Aunt Becky.

Steven and I with our little ring bearer.

I love him more today than the day I married him.

Onto Miss Brooklyn. She is now 8 months old. She has 2 teeth and is very very mobile. She runs around the house in her walker, chasing her brother. She said her 1st word a couple weeks ago, which was "Dada", but since then, she has not stopped saying "Mama"! I love to hear it! She is our "Ears pierced, toenails painted, glitter loving" girly girl and she gets cuter every time I look at her!

Steven and I have been doing good. We finally returned to being a 2-car family. Steven also got some excellent news last week. After a year and a half of searching, he finally landed an insanely excellent job!! It is swing shift to start, so things will be difficult, but eventually they will get better. I know that I have plenty of family and friends to help if I need it, so that is something I am very thankful for. He starts tomorrow. Please keep him in your prayers!

Well, that's about it. I'm off to enjoy the rest of this lazy Sunday with the ones I love. Hope you all had a great weekend!

Clickin' Moms

2011-04-20T21:50:00.000-04:00

I am working on an update post, seeing as how its been a month since I last posted, but for now, I just wanted to share something with you all! I have been trying to get my photography business off the ground and found a great forum that is dedicated to helping all women learn more about their cameras and how to take great photos. I have learned so much!! Click below to join...you won't regret it!!

Mommy's Beauty Queen

2011-03-20T21:22:00.000-04:00

Brooklyn had her very first pageant this past weekend. I did them when I was little, so naturally I would want my daughter to follow in my footsteps. I did the same pageant circuit when I was in Jr. High as Brooklyn did this weekend. I was 1st Runner-up 3 years in a row. My daughter, however, took home the crown on her first try!

There was no ramp onto the stage, so my wonderful

husband stepped in and helped Brookie out...

She won "Best Attire" and "Top Model Look"...

She also won "Most Photogenic" and

Overall Beauty for the Under 1 age division.

By winning this preliminary, she advanced to the state competition in May. We are very proud of our little beauty queen!

Baby Food Recipes #3 & #4

2011-03-20T20:52:00.001-04:00

Apples & Chicken

1 Chicken Breast
3 Organic Apples
1/2 cup Water or Apple Juice

Grill chicken until fully cooked. Peel, core, and slice apples and put into a pan with enough water to slightly cover. Cover pan and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes or until tender, stirring often. Put chicken into blender and blend until you have a powder. Add water or apple juice and apples. Blend to desired consistency. Makes about 4 servings.

(No photo, sorry.)

Chicken with Noodles

1 Chicken Breast

3/4 cup Noodles

1/4 cup Water or Chicken Broth

Grill chicken until fully cooked. Cook noodles thoroughly. Put chicken into blender and blend until you have a powder. Add water or chicken broth and noodles. Blend to desired consistency. Makes about 3 servings.

(No photo, sorry)

March Madness!

2011-03-16T19:49:00.002-04:00

Hello! It has been awhile since I have posted about how we are doing. Everything is going well. Carter is as crazy as ever. He is such a little jokester and has no fear! We are signing him up for soccer this week. Brooklyn has 2 teeth now and weighs almost 14 pounds. My kids have so much fun with each other and remind me of how God has blessed my life every day. Steven and I are still hanging in. No work for either of us yet, but I am pretty confident that I am going to be hearing something from our public library very soon. Fingers crossed! I am also still truckin along trying to build my photography business.

Tomorrow, we are thinking of going to the NCAA Basketball practice at Quicken Loans Arena. It is our 2 favorite teams...Ohio State and Syracuse. I will post pictures...until then, enjoy these ones of my little Buckeyes in their OSU attire!

These ones I am planning on putting on canvases in our living room...

And here are a couple more that I just loved!

And another one of me and my little cheerleader! Love her to bits!!

Baby Food Recipe #2

2011-02-24T16:42:00.003-05:00

Pears & Mangoes Steamed in Apple Juice

2 Organic Pears
2 Organic Mangoes
1/4 cup Organic Apple Juice

Peel and slice fruit and add together in a medium saucepan. Pour apple juice over the fruit. Cover pan and cook on low heat for 10 minutes or until fruit is soft. Puree in blender with a splash more of apple juice to desired consistency. Makes about 4 servings.

Baby Food Recipe #1 and Wean Cubes Review

2011-02-23T17:16:00.003-05:00

Brooklyn is now eating solids daily, which means I am a full-time chef. I decided to post every time I make something new and share my recipes. Hopefully, you will find them helpful.

Apples & Pears with Cinnamon

2 Organic Apples

2 Organic Pears

1/4 Cup Water

Ground Cinnamon

Peel, core, and slice fruit and add together in a medium saucepan. Stir a pinch of ground cinnamon into the water and pour over the fruit. Cover pan and cook on low heat for 10 minutes or until you can easily push a fork through the apple slices. Puree in blender to desired consistency. Makes about 4 servings.

Brooklyn says yum!

Last week, I posted about CSNstores.com and how awesome I think the site is. I was able to pick something from the site to review. I chose the Wean Green Glass Baby Food Containers. As easy as it would be to freeze my food in ice cube trays, sometimes I would just like to have it ready to grab, thaw, and feed. These containers are wonderful! They are BPA, PVC, phthalates, and plasticizer free, which makes them safe for baby and the environment. They are leak resistant and made of thick, durable glass with a silicone seal. They are really great for me because the measuring lines are right on them. I can be sure to add exactly 3 ounces of food per serving, which is what Brooklyn eats at a sitting. They are easy to clean and are microwave, dishwasher, and freezer safe. And as you can see in my photos above, they're adorable! I definitely recommend them to any mom who makes their own baby food!

OK...I am off to plan our next meal. Enjoy!

Life-Savers

2011-02-13T21:29:00.002-05:00

So, with my extreme lack of updates lately, I am sure you can tell how busy I have been. I wanted to jump on quickly and give a few kudos to some of my new life-savers...

I have been doing a lot of online shopping lately, especially for the kids. I am loving CSNstores.com. Its a one-stop-shop for everything a busy mom may need. There aren't many places you could put a swing set and a cookie sheet in the same shopping cart! I highly recommend!!

Brooklyn is quite the pacifier connoisseur. Lately, she has only taken a specific one...her WubbaNub. She loves it...and that means I love it, too.

Teething has commenced. Tylenol only does so much, and Brooklyn is too young for Motrin. I am not sure how awful things would be without Little Teethers Teething Tablets. I swear by them!!

OK...I will try to update again soon with some pictures. Have a great week!!

Picture Post

2011-01-18T17:29:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures of all of our adventures lately. Carter is as fun as ever...getting the most out of the toys he got for Christmas. Brooklyn is now eating solids and loving it! I also put pictures from Toy Story on Ice. That was a blast. Enjoy!!

Still here...just busy!

2011-01-15T22:04:00.001-05:00

We are still here. We are alive and well. We have been on the move non-stop. I am blogging from my phone as we speak. I am loving my HTC Evo. I rarely even touch my computer anymore. There isn't really much need for it. I give it five stars and 2 thumbs up!

Anyway, we have been on the move. Last weekend, I took Carter to see Toy Story on Ice. It was awesome! I wasn't sure if he would get bored. He sat through the whole thing. He got upset when it was over. Mickey & Minnie on Ice is in September, so I'm going to take both kids. Brookie will be a year old...she's so content, I think she'd have done good even now. But I think she'll enjoy it. We will see. I am looking forward to it.

My new nurse started last week. Things seem to working out very well. My former nurse had her third baby about a month ago, so I had to find a replacement for her. It wasn't an easy process, but I am sure I made the right choice. She has a five year old little boy...he and Carter get along very well. That's who we went to see Toy Story on Ice with. It was weird to me because I have never really hung out with any of my nurses outside of work. It was nice to know that we can have a friendship also. And the boys play so well together. She is actually bringing him over on Monday since it is Martin Luther King Day and there is no school. Both of them are into the same movies and toys. They have fun.

Ok...I am getting ready to get the kids in bed so I can clean up the disaster in my kitchen. My father-in-law is visiting for the weekend, so the guys have been pretty crazy, especially since it is playoff time. It was crazy in here after the Steelers win today! Now I'm off to clean it all up. A mommy's work is never done! When I get a chance, I will upload some pics of what we've been up too lately. Enjoy your weekend!

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Christmas Memories.

2011-01-02T15:19:00.001-05:00

I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year's. We spent Christmas morning at home, ate an early dinner, then headed to NY for the weekend. We spent the 1st night with my mother-in-law and the 2nd night with my dad. It was a really nice holiday...lots of great memories were made. Just another reminder of how truly blessed I am.

Christmas Eve

Brookie

Carter

Cookies & Milk for Santa. Carrots for Reindeer.

Daddy reading "The Night Before Christmas".

Christmas Morning

Steven and I were able to get out alone on New Year's Eve. It was very fun...although I had fallen asleep (or passed out...call it what you will.) and had to be woken up for the ball drop.

Yesterday we spent the day at home, cleaning up after such a crazy week. I threw my brand new cell phone in the washer. It got caught up in some jeans when I was throwing a load in and it took me 10 minutes to realize that it wasn't in any of its usual places. I filed an insurance claim around 7pm and it got an email before I woke up that said a replacement had been shipped. It should be here tomorrow. I am dying without it. My beloved HTC Evo...come baaaaaaaaackkkkkkk!

Today we are watching football, finishing up around the house, and hitting the grocery store with both kids because we are insane. I would wait, but we really need to fill up the cupboards. Pray for us, LOL!

Organized Chaos.

2010-12-16T14:04:00.001-05:00

A lot has been going on, but I have been too busy to talk about it. With Christmas around the corner, my mind is going a zillion miles a minute.

On Thanksgiving Day, my precious first-born (dog) Bailey, went to go live with a new family. We were in NY, so I made my mom send him off. It was easier for all of us. The decision to let him go was very hard for me. Bailey and I had a bond that was unlike and normal pet/owner relationship. He saved me. After my car accident, he gave me a reason to wake up every day. When we got Bianca, he turned into a hermit pretty much. She was always chasing him and pouncing on him. He began escaping to random hiding places just to get away from her. When Carter was born, any amount of attention we had went straight to caring for a newborn. Bailey was certainly not my 1st concern any more. As Carter got more mobile, Bailey was even more scarce. He hid to escape the hair-pulling and "hard petting"...or slapping (call it what it is.) that he received from him. Even though Carter will soon be out of this rough stage, we have Brookie who will be just starting it. I just felt that Bailey deserved better. He went to live with a family who has a 9 year old little girl. He is their only dog...which is just what he would want. I miss him terribly, but I am 100% sure that I made my decision in his best interest.

Things with the kids are adventurous as always. Brooklyn is smiling and cooing like crazy. She now plays in the excersaucer and jumperoo. Carter is...well, he's 2! Everything he says and does is either really funny or time-out-worthy...and really funny. He talks so much. Yesterday, he broke of piece off a wooden threashold by our back door. He gave it to Steven and goes "Aunt Breanne did it." which is funny because Aunt Breanne lives 5 hours away...and hasn't been to our house since Carter was only a few weeks old. He really needs to learn to start blaming stuff on his sister.

Carter is also now officially in a toddler bed! We decided to re-try it over the weekend and he is doing wonderfully. Now we are working on potty training. We are trying our best not to push it on him too quickly, but at the same time we want to keep reminding him that we have a goal. We got him a box of Toy Story Pull-Ups for Christmas...lame, I know. We are hoping he will take an interest in wearing them.

Well, now its time to get down and dirty and help Steven clean this house. Yes, my husband cleans...and cooks...and cares for our kids. I love him and would die without him!

From our family to yours.

2010-12-14T13:28:00.000-05:00

Growing up way too fast.

2010-12-06T18:12:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe how fast Brooklyn is growing. She loves being up and about...she's pretty nosey. So, yesterday I had the idea of getting out the excersaucer so she could enjoy things on her own. It brought back memories of Carter as a little tiny baby. It was so cute how he wanted to show his little sister how all of the toys worked, as if he remembered from when he played in it!

I went to the Eclipse release party at Walmart with my mom on Friday at midnight while Steven stayed home with the kids. We waited in line for a bit and I got to answer some quiz questions...which I obviously got correct, LOL! Then we decided to do some Christmas shopping. I got Carter all done that night. I also bought the kids a copy of "The Night Before Christmas" so we don't have to make one. We will continue reading it on Christmas Eve as a family tradition. I also bought the kids matching PJs to wear that night. So cute! Anyway...at the release party, I was given a lanyard with stickers and temporary tattoos in it. So, we did what any good parents would do. We put them on our 2 year old.

It's a bit smudged, but it seems as though my

baby has joined the Wolf pack! Oh no!

Oh wait...he's changed his mind...

He is now a member of the Volturi.

Now my little string bean is flexing his muscles.

He is one buff, but confused Vampire/Warewolf!

My mom watched the kids on Saturday while Steven and I went to Kohl's and Babies R Us to finish up the last of our shopping. Brooklyn is just about into 3 months clothing, so we got her some new dresses and sleepers. We also picked up a play mat, some wrist rattles, and new pacifiers...she didn't take well to the Tommee Tippee pacis that I was trying to transfer her to. But when we were in NY last week, my brother-in-law's dog, Koen, ate the only Gumdrop pacifier we had with us, so my sister-in-law loaned Brookie one of my nephew's Soothies. Although they didn't work well for Carter, Brooklyn loves them. So we got her some of those and some of the new Pampers pacifiers. She isn't too sure about them, but they are a lot like the Gumdrops...only I don't have to order them online and wait a week to get them. At the rate that we lose pacis, its hard to do it that way. So, either way we are good. If she doesn't like the Pampers, we have Soothies as back-ups.

Last night, Steven and I began the wrapping process...YUCK! It is my rite of passage as their mom to do the wrapping, but my disability makes it all the more harder. Luckily, my husband is so helpful. We still have about 15 gifts left of the kids', then its onto other family members' gifts. It is a pain, but I love being a mom at Christmas time. It puts the magic back into things. I am totally excited for what's to come!

Thanksgiving and Brooklyn's Dedication

2010-12-03T18:27:00.000-05:00

We went to New York for Thanksgiving. We had a great time with my in-laws...lots of food, family, and football! It was really nice to spend time with everyone...especially my new nephew Kaleb! It had only been a couple weeks since I had last seen him, but I missed him like crazy!!

It was an early night on Thursday...we needed all the sleep we could get. It was an early morning on Black Friday! We had to be out of the house well before dawn to get in line for the good deals. My mother-in-law and I split up...I headed to Walmart while she headed to the mall. I immediately got in line at the Photo Center and waited over an hour for a point-and-shoot camera. Then I had to go directly to jewelry, then to toys. I was able to get most of the items I had hoped for. After Walmart, we met up at the mall and did some shopping until lunch at the Olive Garden. From there, we went to KMart before calling it a day. It was fun...but not for the weak of heart!

Getting an early start!

A few hours into the day.

My own salad at the Olive Garden!

A long, but prosperous day.

We had Brooklyn's dedication this past Sunday. We had it done in NY because that is where our church is, as well as Brooklyn's godmother Dianne (or as we like to call her, "Diz".) We didn't have a huge celebration after the service...we are planning to do that after the holidays. With Steven out of work, we need all of our extra money for our family's Christmas...and I must tell you, the Lord provides.

Brooklyn and Diz

I always enjoy our trips to NY. In Ohio, my kids see my mom very often. Although I am sure she will tell you it isn't nearly enough, I am glad that they get to be together as much as they do. When we go to NY, my mother-in-law always has plenty of fun stuff planned...she makes sure that the kids (and us adults!) never have a dull moment!

We are home now and are trying to get things ready for Christmas. Now that I have kids of my own, this is such a magical time of year...and it only gets better with each passing year. I love all of the traditions we have started. For example...each year on Christmas Eve, Carter and I make and decorate our own "T'was the Night Before Christmas" book, then read it before bed. For the past 2 years, I kinda ended up doing them myself, but this year he will be able to color and paste some of the pages! I am looking forward to this year very much!

And here are a couple more...just because my children are so adorable!!

My Lovebug

2010-11-24T18:09:00.002-05:00

X-Games 2024 Gold Medalist

2010-11-14T15:15:00.001-05:00

Quantity, Not Quality.

2010-11-13T16:24:00.000-05:00

I have a bunch of cute photos from my point-and-shoot camera. The problem is that the camera is quite old and although I have cleaned it thoroughly a number of times, it just takes awful photos. As an aspiring photographer, I take pride in nice pictures, but these ones are just too cute not to share. So please excuse the awfulness and enjoy!

Carter opening his new 4-wheeler at my dad's.

Aunt Candi and Kaleb.

My mother-in-law with her newest grandbabies,

Brooklyn and Kaleb.

Miss Brookie is all smiles these days...

...and she just loves her bears!

Steven and Carter playing with Woody and Buzz.

They have so much fun together.

Why we don't tell Carter to say "cheese", LOL!

Best friends.

Things have been pretty crazy around here. We are still adjusting to being a family of 4. I think my disability makes things a lot harder to get used to, but we are doing well. Steven has been amazing. When I need help or time to myself, he is right there to say "Go. Take your time." He has been such a blessing.

Brookie is doing great. She had her 2 month well-visit yesterday and is right on track. She now weighs 9 pounds, 3 ounces. She is eating about 4 ounces per feeding now. She is almost out of her newborn clothes and after this pack of newborn diapers is gone, we will be moving on to size 1. I cannot believe how fast my little girl is growing. Right now, I am in the process of switching her from the Gumdrop Pacifiers to Tommee Tippee Pacifiers. They are significantly different in shape and feel, but I think she'll be able to keep them in her mouth without them popping out, which is a problem with the Gumdrops. Its taking her a little bit to adjust to the feel, but I think she'll be fine and it will be better for her in the long run.

Carter has been a little sick these past few days. He was supposed to have his 2 year well-visit with Brookie yesterday, but was running a low-grade fever, so he has to go back next week. We've been giving him Tylenol and lots of fluids, so I'm sure he'll be good as new in no time! This afternoon, he and Steven have been working on the 4-wheeler, so I am sure he'll ride a bit later. Pictures to come! He's so cute in his little helmet!

I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend...pretty soon the snow will be falling!

The twins I always wanted...

2010-11-05T13:00:00.000-04:00

I was uploading photos of Brooklyn the other day and was completely shocked. I always wanted twins, but I never expected them to be born 2 years apart...

Isn't that crazy?! They were both roughly the same age in these pictures. Brooklyn just has lighter eyes, less hair, and her features are a bit more feminine. It still baffles me when I look at this!!

So, my baby is officially 2 years old. I still remember the day he was born...like it was yesterday. I am so in love with him and I couldn't be more proud of the little man he has become. I am truly blessed to be his mommy and I am so thankful that I get to watch him grow.

October 29, 2008

October 29, 2009

October 29, 2010

We are back in NY this weekend because my nephew Kaleb was born on Sunday! My sister-in-law is my new hero. She labored for about 2 days straight after being almost a week past her due date. She was admitted to L&D and continued to labor all day on Sunday. We arrived at the hospital around 2:30 pm. She was fully dilated and began pushing around that time. 2 hours later, doctors decided to do a c-section because the baby was just too big. After 2 hours of pushing!!! She did such a great job. I couldn't have been more proud of her...and my brother-in-law. He was an amazing coach! Kaleb was born via c-section shortly after 5pm. He weighed 9 pounds, 8 ounces and was 22 1/2 inches long. Unfortunately, we were unable to meet him because it was Halloween and we had to take Carter trick-or-treating. But we did visit the following evening.

Halloween was fun, but it was absolutely freezing. We didn't get a chance to dress Brooklyn in her costume, but I did manage to snap a picture of Carter on my phone after we got back in from trick-or-treating.

I plan on dressing them back up once we get home so I can get them in the studio for a Halloween/birthday shoot. Until then, here are a few more randoms from our week.

Isn't my family beautiful?? I may be biased, but I think they're absolutely perfect!

Little of this, little of that.

2010-10-24T13:49:00.003-04:00

It seems like my updates are few and far between these days. Life is just so hectic, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Here is a bullet list of what's been going on around the Butchino home! Sorry for the lack of pictures...I accidentally left my point-and-shoot at my dad's. I do have a few from Steven's phone though...

Brooklyn had her 1 month well-visit last week. She weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces. Everything looks great! She is now taking 4 ounces every feeding.

Steven shot his 2nd deer of the season. It's a big 8-point buck and it is currently at the taxidermist being mounted. I am very proud of him!

Carter has been given most of his birthday presents early because we just couldn't wait! From Steven and I, he got a fish tank, remote control cars, Matchbox cars, and a helmet for the 4-wheeler my dad is having shipped here this week. From my mom, he got a Radio Flyer tricycle, and from Steven's mom, he got his jumpy-jump that I posted about last week. We will still be giving him stuff on his actual birthday, but that is only because I will be waiting until the last minute to go shopping again!

After a year of fighting with the flooring company over all of the bubbling in our laminate floors, they have finally agreed to replace them all. We have to choose a new color because the one we have now was discontinued. We are thinking of going for a dark cherry look.

Last night we took Carter to a haunted hayride/festival. We had a blast! Carter went on his very first pony ride and loved it!

I got the kids' Halloween costumes from the Disney Store when we were in NY. Carter will be Mickey Mouse and Brooklyn will be Minnie.

Tomorrow is my sister-in-law's due date. My very first nephew, Kaleb, should be making his appearance any second!

Steven is waiting to hear about a job with the county that he interviewed for. Please keep him in your prayers.

Someone broke into my van and our garage this week. Luckily, they were spooked by something and didn't end up taking anything. We called the police and they came and dusted for prints, but we will probably never find out who it was. Lesson learned...we now lock up and leave our outside lights on at night.

I think that about does it! We will be making a trip to NY as soon as my sister-in-law goes into labor, then I will stop and get my camera back from my dad's. I am so scared to use my Canon for personal photos because if it breaks, I have no back-up for photo shoots. No worries...I'll have my P&S back within a week or so!

Pictures...but not many words!

2010-10-14T17:44:00.000-04:00

This is kind of a quickie update. I don't have much time, but I wanted to post a few more pics of our NY trip as well as some of Carter with his birthday present from his grandma. It arrived today and we had it waiting for him when he woke up from his nap.

A Complicated Emotion.

2010-10-10T19:00:00.001-04:00

I am having some really weird issues since Brooklyn was born. It actually didn't start until a couple of weeks ago, but it is very intense and I am not sure how to deal with it. I am having major regret and even guilt about having my tubes tied. I really thought I could handle this type of "second guessing" myself...but it is hitting me hard. I know that it is not safe for me to have more children. I know that I almost died giving birth to Carter and that Brooklyn's delivery was a tight-rope walk that could've been fatal as well. I know that I have my "perfect family" with one boy and one girl. So, why am I feeling this way? I don't know...maybe it will pass with time.

We decided to make a surprise trip to NY to see Steven's family. We are heading home tonight, but had a great time. We did lots of visiting, shopping, and we even went to a petting zoo yesterday. We had so much fun! It was such a fun trip and we are feeling refreshed! Now we are going back to Ohio...just to return within the next few weeks when I will be becoming an AUNT!! My sister-in-law, Breanne, is 38 weeks along and will be delivering my very first nephew Kaleb any time now! I am so excited!!

Here are a few pictures of our trip to the petting zoo. I have some of Brooklyn that I will upload as soon as we get home. It seems like I haven't taken many of her, but I assure you that I will have you on Brookie overload very soon!! Her grandma bought her lots of new dresses and we have some packages waiting for us at home with hats/headbands in them!!

Babywearing 101

2010-09-22T21:11:00.000-04:00

Being disabled, I need to be able to hold my baby and have free hands to move myself around and do things. I am turning into quite the babywearing expert. I have tried a few different slings/wraps/carriers and thought I would do a little review for those of you who are interested.

BabyBjorn Air Infant Carrier: $79.99 (Babies R Us)

This was my "go-to" carrier when Carter was a baby. I loved it and wore him 24/7 with no problems. It worked really well for us. Since I was a new mom and inexperienced babywearer, it was the easiest of carriers to operate and I thought everything was great. Now that I am a bit more aware of things, I have read that the position that the baby is in while in the Bjorn can be bad for development of the hips and spine. I am not completely convinced one way or the other. In fact, I put Brooklyn in it a few days ago and she seemed to like it...I had to give her lots of head support with my hand, but I will definitely use it in the future.

Hotsling: $48 (Target)

I am very indifferent on this sling. Carter hated it. I think he sensed my hesitance with it. I just didn't feel like he was ever supported enough when using the cradle hold. I gave up pretty easily then, but I will try it out with Brooklyn. I am hoping it works well, since there is no fancy way of tying or wrapping it. It would certainly make things easier if I could just throw it on, pop her in, and go.

Moby Wrap: $39.99 (Babies R Us)

This wrap is amazing...I have been smitten since the first time I put it on. It is very intimidating, since it is basically just a piece of material that seems as long as a football field. It comes with an instruction booklet, but I suggest youtube.com videos to learn how to wrap and tie it. It isn't nearly as difficult as it seems. I had Brooklyn in it for the first time a couple days ago and she fell right to sleep. We went outside and it was a bit chilly, so I threw a blanket over my shoulder and was able to keep her warm and out of the wind. She was comfortable and so was I. This is by far my favorite way to wear my baby!

I hope this helped! If you know of any good carriers, please let me know!!

Photo Booth Fun

2010-09-21T10:27:00.000-04:00

Our New Life.

2010-09-19T20:39:00.003-04:00

We are adjusting to being home as a family of 4. Although it is slightly more stressful, I wouldn't have it any other way. This family is my dream come true. I prayed for a life just like this and I have been blessed with a husband a 2 absolutely beautiful children. God is good.

This weekend has been a bunch of firsts for us. Yesterday, Steven and I took both kids outside. I put Brookie in the BabyBjorn and he played with Carter. We're going to have to be on our toes at all times now that we each have one to keep an eye on. Although Brooklyn doesn't move around yet, having her strapped to me via wrap/sling makes me a little less mobile. Especially while I am healing from the c-section. My incision is actually completely closed, but rules still apply! I am feeling better every day and hope to be back to 100% very soon.

Today was Football Sunday at our house. We had a few friends over and they brought their kids to play with Carter. Steven made pulled pork and we had chicken wing dip...I kept saying "Maybe I'll have a beer.", but never ended up doing it. I haven't had a drink since January...one beer will likely knock me out! I did enjoy two Cokes...and they weren't caffeine-free! I know, I'm living on the edge.

Here are a few photos of Brookie that we've taken since we've been home.

And here are a couple from Steven's phone...

Welcome Brooklyn Rose!!

2010-09-15T15:25:00.002-04:00

Brooklyn Rose has arrived! She was born on Friday, September 10th at 1:45pm. She weighed 5 pounds, 5 ounces and was 18 inches long. Our family is complete…and so is my heart.

When I had Carter, everything happened so fast. My blood pressure spiked, causing me to have a seizure and I have no recollection of his birth at all. The doctors and nurses at MetroHealth Hospital went above and beyond to be sure that Brooklyn’s birth would be the most amazing memory of my life. I am so grateful for everything they did.

Our induction was scheduled for noon, so they had us come in at 9am. I was admitted to a High Risk room and the nurse I had specifically requested, Ann Marie, began preparations. The reason I requested her is because she is hilarious…and she sings. All of the time. You throw her into any situation and she will sing the soundtrack. That was the type of person I wanted to make me calm throughout the day. She started my IV first. Of course, my body began rebelling and she couldn’t get it in. After a second try, we had success. A little later, Anesthesia came in to begin my Arterial Line. It was needed to monitor my blood pressure during the delivery, to prevent another seizure. Unfortunately, they are very painful…and unfortunately, my body was still rebelling. After 3 separate pokes, they finally got the line in. Next, anesthesia started their own IV in case they needed access to a vein. That took 2 tries as well.

After I was all done, I was able to spend some time with my mom, Carter, and Steven before the OR was ready. My cousin Megan was also there. She works as an RN on the Labor and Delivery floor. I really wanted her to attend the birth, so I was glad to see her in her scrubs and Spongebob Squarepants OR hat. I really enjoyed the time with them before I went in. I held Carter for a bit, reminding myself that he wouldn’t be my only child for much longer. Those moments were worth more than gold to me.

At 12:10, they came in to bring me to the OR for my epidural. Steven had to stay behind and wait while Megan and the rest of the team took me. The anesthesiologist had me sit on the bed while he inserted the epidural catheter. The first attempt hit a blood vessel, so they had to try again. Megan sat in front of me helping me think happy thoughts (Channing Tatum, for example) as they successfully got the epidural in place. The nurses helped me lay down on the operating table and went to get Steven. They got the epidural medication started and everyone took their places for the External Version.

The doctor began trying to flip the baby, along with another doctor. They each took an end and pushed in the same direction. After about 5 minutes, Brooklyn was head-down. By the time the doctor reached over for the ultrasound machine, she had returned to her previous breech position. They asked if I wanted to try again and I told them to go ahead. They pushed for another 5 minutes or so and managed to get her head down again…but Brooklyn had the last say as she turned herself even further breech than before. The doctor asked me if I wanted to proceed with the C-section. Part of me felt like I failed because my body just wasn’t doing what it was supposed to do, but I went ahead and said “yes” because I knew it was best for the both of us. They prepped me and proceeded with the c-section. One of the nurses yelled "Candi! Where's your camera?!" She ran back to my room and returned to the OR with my camera, which are normally not allowed during c-sections. Not only did they allow it, but the nurses were the ones taking pictures! Steven was allowed to watch the entire surgery…since he is going to school for nursing, this was really something he wanted to witness. Also, the fact that he missed Carter’s birth was always something that bothered him. Nothing in the world could’ve kept him away from seeing his daughter being born. He stayed right beside me, reassuring me that my blood pressure was looking wonderful. He and Megan were telling me everything that was happening. It really made me feel so much better. Ann Marie was singing the entire time...even my doctor joined in! The whole OR was laughing and having a great time! About 10 minutes later, the anesthesiologist asked me if I’d like to see them pull Brooklyn out. I hesitated, but she assured me that I would not see any of my parts cut open. She lowered the drape, lifted my head, and I saw a little butt! The doctor pulled and out she came! He handed Steven the scissors and he got to cut the cord. Brooklyn immediately started crying…what a beautiful sound!! I couldn’t help but breaking out in tears. She was here. She was healthy. She was ours.

(Sorry for the graphic photos. I am just amazed that I have them.)

(You can see my head poking up over the drape.)

(My awesome support team, Steven and Megan.)

They took Brooklyn over to clean and weigh her and the doctor began my tubal ligation. I couldn’t take my eyes off of my beautiful daughter. The most amazing part was that she never left my sight. When Carter was born, he was rushed off to the NICU and I wasn’t able to see or hold him for hours. This time was so much different. As soon as I was sewn up and ready to go, the nurse handed Brooklyn to me and we were wheeled back to our room together.

Right away, we were able to introduce Brooklyn to her Nana and her big brother. She immediately ate and we were able to spend even more time as a family. It was the most amazing experience of my entire life and I cannot thank the hospital staff enough for going out of their way to make sure everything was perfect.

Both of us were released yesterday and are getting settled in at home. I am completely in love with my family of 4. I am truly blessed. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers throughout this pregnancy. I couldn’t have done it without you.

Belly Pics...By Popular Demand!

2010-09-05T21:47:00.002-04:00

We managed to get out of the house this afternoon and did a small maternity/family photo shoot at a park not too far from where we live. I really love the scenery there. It was nice because they also have an awesome playground. Carter and Steven played for awhile while we waited for the sun to go down a bit. Here are some of the photos we took. It was just the 3 of us, so there aren't many photos of us all...and the few that we do have were taken with the timer because my wireless shutter remote is not working all of a sudden. I'm just glad we were able to get photos at all...since I delivered Carter before we could do so with him. For some reason, Blogger makes them less vibrant, but here they are...

6 More Days!

2010-09-04T21:29:00.000-04:00

I'm still here. I'm still pregnant. I am very uncomfortable and still contracting at least once every 5-10 minutes, but as of Tuesday, I am only 2 cm dilated. We are going ahead with our plan to do the amnio on Thursday around noon, then if Brooklyn's lungs are mature, she will be born Friday. I will get my arterial line and epidural in the morning, then my OB will take me to the operating room and attempt an external aversion to get Brooklyn to go head-down. If successful, I will be moved to a delivery room and get started on Pitocin. If she does not turn, I will stay in the OR for a c-section. I am praying that she turns. This is my last baby and I would really like a wonderful birth experience.

We have really turned on the jets as far as getting everything ready for Brooklyn's arrival. All of her clothes are washed and hung up, diaper/hospital bags are in the car, car seat has been installed, and we pick up her nursery furniture on Tuesday. By Tuesday night, we will be 100% ready to bring her home. It will be so weird if she comes home from the hospital with us. Carter spent 15 days in the NICU. I keep forgetting that Brooklyn will more than likely be discharged when I am. God is good.

So, my goal at this point is to make it to Thursday, then the party will begin! Both Steven's mom and my dad are coming in from NY on Friday, so I am praying all goes according to plan. We are truly blessed.

My mommy gift from Steven, Carter, and Brooklyn!

My L&D Slumber Party

2010-08-26T20:31:00.000-04:00

Its been awhile since I updated...a lot has happened.

I finally got my new van. It took them forever to get my mods done, but I finally picked it up last Thursday. I am officially a "Soccer MILF" as Steven says. He says I look good in it...he says it fits me perfectly. Today, he drove it for the 1st time and he couldn't get over how well it drives. He actually said "This is so nice. I am happy for you." Sweet man of mine!!

Friday night was my baby shower. We had a very nice dinner and Brooklyn got lots of great gifts and a bunch of diapers. I am so thankful for my awesome friends and family. I feel so much better now that we are prepared. All we are waiting on now is her furniture...not that she will be sleeping in her crib for a couple months.

Anyway, we went on a mini road trip on Saturday. My brother-in-law spent last week with us, so we met my mother-in-law in Buffalo to drop him off...it is about 1/2-way for both of us. We spent the afternoon at the Galleria. She bought Carter a couple new DVDs for the new van. It was nice because it kept him busy on the ride home.

Sunday, I woke up not feeling well. My contractions were very hard and very close together all morning. I paged my OB and he didn't call back right away, so my mom took Carter and Steven and I headed to the hospital. I got checked in and hooked up to the monitors. I was having hard contractions every few minutes. They started an IV and gave me a bag of fluids to see if they could stop them that way. The OB on call came in and checked my dilation...1 cm. Not good. They decided to keep me overnight to be sure that I wasn't going into active labor. I was moved to a High Risk room until morning. Steven slept on a very small, very hard couch next to my bed all night...although neither of us got much sleep. On top of that, we were not prepared to stay, so both of our phone chargers and laptops were left behind. We were bored out of our minds and didn't have much cash with us for anything! I didn't eat before we left home because I wasn't feeling well. I had cereal around 2pm on Sunday. I wasn't allowed to eat once I checked in, just in case I went into labor and needed a c-section, but I was permitted to chew gum. I went through about 2 packs by myself, pretending it was food. Monday morning around 8am, my OB came into my room and checked my cervix...2 cm. Still not good, but since my contractions had spaced out, he felt that I was OK to be discharged. He gave me the green light to eat breakfast, so one of the nurses brought me in some cereal and a muffin. I hadn't eaten anything since the previous afternoon, so I scarfed it down before we left to go home.

Monday when we got home, I had a small breakdown. I had such a long to-do list of things that had to be done before Brooklyn arrives. I felt like she could come at any moment and we had not washed one bottle or article of clothing. I had an empty diaper bag and still needed to buy a few of the contents to fill it. Thankfully, my mom and Steven took care of everything. Steven went to the basement and brought the swing and other necessities upstairs and cleaned them. He assembled the new Pack n Play as well. My mom washed and organized all of the bottles and clothes. She also helped me fill the diaper bag with everything Brooklyn will need. I finally feel at peace with everything...if she needs to make an early appearance, that is OK. I hope that she will stay put for another 15 days, but we are ready for her if she doesn't. Huge weight off of my shoulders.

The last couple of days have been rough, but I am trying to hang in there. Today, I almost caved and went back to L&D. My contractions were about 3 minutes apart at one point. Thankfully, they spaced out. I am still having them, but not as often. Steven moved our mattress into the living room so I can lay down and still be a functional part of the family during the day. I was getting pretty depressed being by myself in the bedroom all day when I needed to lay down. Just being around my family keeps my spirits up.

I am trying my best to make it until Monday, since I have an appointment with my OB. He will check my cervix and probably do an ultrasound to see if Brooklyn is still breech...as of Sunday, she was. If I have dilated any further, I assume he will admit me and induce shortly after. Your continued thoughts and prayers are so appreciated. 2 weeks from tomorrow...that's the goal!

My Beautiful Baby Girl

2010-08-16T17:14:00.000-04:00

Isn't she adorable?!

My doctor's appointment today went very well. I had an ultrasound and we were able to see Brooklyn's face for the very first time! As you can see from the pictures above, she is beautiful. She has her daddy's nose and mommy's lips. She has the cutest chubby cheeks! The only bad news is that she is breech right now. We are hoping she turns very soon.

After my ultrasound, we met with the doctor. He scheduled our induction for September 10th. So, I will go in on the 9th for my anmio, then we will have a baby the next day! It is so nice to have a set date. I will be 36 weeks and 4 days. I just have to make it through the next 3 weeks and 4 days. No problem!

Hanging in There.

2010-08-13T12:56:00.000-04:00

That's all I'm doing this week...hanging in there. It hasn't been easy, but I am trying my best to do everything I can to keep this baby in as long as I can. Every day this week has been eventful. Monday and Tuesday, we drove all the way out to the hospital for my Betamethasone injections. I am relieved that they are done, but hope that Brooklyn doesn't really need the extra lung development. Hopefully, she will have a few more weeks in my belly to grow.

Wednesday, I woke up very dizzy. I had a couple of very bad spells where the entire room was jumping and spinning. Thankfully, Steven was right there to calm me down and help me figure out what was causing the dizziness. We aren't really 100% sure, but we think it has something to do with me laying on my right side. I always contract more after sleeping on my left side, but the dizziness was awful, so I am trying my best to prevent it. Last night, I was able to sleep on my right side for a little while, but ended up flipping back over...and I am paying for it today with all sorts of contractions. Its a bit weird to me that I can sit here and have them every few minutes, but I am being told that its OK and not to panic. I would like to panic! They hurt and in most cases, they would be a pretty good indicator of actual labor...but not for me. Right now, I am just trying to deal with them, morning, noon, and night...because my cervix seems to be holding up and my water hasn't broken. I have just been praying every day for things to stay the way they are. I can handle the contractions if I know that my cervix is staying closed and that Brooklyn is safe.

Tomorrow is a pretty big day. I will be 32 weeks and 5 days...the same day that Carter was born. I knew it would eventually come and go, but I did not expect all of the emotions that I am having. I am nervous that history could repeat itself. I am relieved that we made it this far. I am scared that anything could happen at any time from here on out. I am paranoid that I am overlooking things that could mean I am in labor. I am thankful that she wasn't born earlier than Carter. I am worried about how things will happen...and when. I am hopeful that my body can do this each day for the next 4 weeks.

My husband has been amazing throughout this entire pregnancy. I remember when I was in my 1st trimester and I was constantly exhausted and needing sleep. He took care of Carter while I slept as much as I needed to and while I was sick to my stomach every day. He has been nothing but helpful and has taken so much stress off of my shoulders in the last 7 months. I find myself feeling so much calmer just knowing that he is around. When I was dizzy the other day, I felt like I was fine as long as he was near me...and that he wouldn't let anything bad happen. I am so blessed to have him in my life...and to be able to have him around me all day. He starts nursing school in a couple weeks, which makes me very nervous and sad, but I couldn't be more thankful or proud.

This weekend, we are just hanging out and relaxing. My brother in law is visiting from New York, so I am sure the boys will make some fun plans. I will probably try my best to take it easy. I have a doctor's appointment on Monday for an ultrasound and cervix check. Then I will be seen every Monday to be checked until I hit 37 weeks. Around September 13th, I will have an amnio to confirm that Brooklyn's lungs are fully developed, then we can induce! On one hand, 4 weeks seems like forever, but then again, I have been pregnant for over 32. Until then, I am making a to-do list of things that have to be done before she is born. I am going to wait until after my baby shower next weekend to wash clothes or anything, but the list is in existence and we know what needs to be done. I don't want to have it all done too early, because I don't want Brooklyn thinking we are ready for her! I figure 2 weeks before my scheduled induction is good enough.

I can do this.

False Alarm.

2010-08-07T12:58:00.000-04:00

Yesterday when I woke up, I could tell it was going to be a rough day. I was contracting from the moment I got out of bed. I tried to move around a bit and get my mind off of it, but I kept looking at the clock. My contractions were about 3 minutes apart and I finally told Steven to grab my hospital bag. We put Carter down for his nap and my mom stayed with him while we went to the hospital. They hooked me up to the monitor and let me go for awhile. The contractions were not regular at first, but after a bit, they were steadily 2 minutes apart. I was freaking out. I am not even 32 weeks along yet...I am not ready for another NICU baby. I assumed that they wouldn't let me go anywhere and that I would either be admitted to L&D to be watched or I would be delivering right away. The doctor came in to check my dilation and my cervix was soft but closed. I spent about another hour on the monitor and they came in to check again...still closed. Apparently, my body is handling the contractions well and I just have to deal with them for now. God is definitely watching over Brooklyn and me.

Monday I go back to the doctor to have my cervix checked again. My doctor will also be giving me betamethazone injections to help mature Brooklyn's lungs, just in case she decides to come early. Next Saturday, I will be 32 weeks 5 days, which is when I had Carter. I will continue progesterone injections until I hit 36 weeks, and we will induce at 37 weeks, which is the week of September 13th. I am praying that these next 5 weeks go by quickly and that I get the birth experience I missed with Carter. I will be getting my tubes tied, so this is my last chance. I am excited and nervous about what will happen, but I know I am in good hands and that I trust my body to give me the right signals so that I know when enough is enough.

My mom and aunts are throwing me a "Baby Sprinkle" on the 21st, so I am really looking forward to that. For the most part, we have what we need, but we had to start over with clothes since everything we have is blue. I am 100% determined to go to the party as a pregnant woman! I just have to take everything one day at a time and stay stress-free and relaxed. Lots of prayers are needed and very appreciated!!

31.

2010-08-04T11:42:00.001-04:00

Monday was 31 weeks. My water has not broken, so I guess we are on the right track. I am still having contractions, which can get very scary at times, but so far they haven't been regular and I am not in too much pain. Thank you all for your continued prayers...only 6 more weeks until our induction!

Carter has a nasty cold right now. Last night was awful. He woke up about an hour after we put him to bed. He was screaming and coughing really bad. We went in to get him and he started throwing up sticky mucous. He ended up choking a bit because he couldn't get it all up. It was very scary. I slept with him on the futon in the playroom. He threw up one more time after that, but then slept as well as he could for the rest of the night. He seems to be feeling a little bit better today, so I am hoping that he is on the road to recovery.

I am still waiting on my new minivan. It is paid for and everything, but I am waiting on the dealer to install the remote starter and DVD player, as well as the hand controls. They should be calling me any day to fit my wheelchair to all of the parts. After that is finished, I am good to go! I am sad and excited at the same time. On one hand, who wouldn't be excited to get a brand new car? My life will be so much easier and I will have my independence back. But I will also miss my Escalade. I've only had it for 5 years, but it has been a big pain in the butt ever since. Every time I turned around, something expensive had broken. As a matter of fact, I have a blown headlight right now. A new bulb will cost $100. I am waiting right now because we really don't have the extra cash...we just try not to drive at night. Nonetheless, it is a beautiful car and I always felt gangsta while driving it. But, then again...

Who says a minivan isn't gangsta?

More Summer Fun

2010-07-26T17:37:00.001-04:00

We have been soaking up all of the nice weather this past few weeks. We spent a few days at my aunt's pool and we have been outside a lot. Steven and I had a date night this past Saturday. We went to watch our friend's MMA fight. It was outside and very, very hot, but we had a good night...with the exception of a few bad contractions. I guess I should be expecting that to happen, now that I am in the home stretch.

I started contracting about a week ago. They can get pretty hard, but I am handling them well. My water is not broken, which is a great thing since it broke at 31 weeks with Carter. I had a doctor's appointment today and he did my glucose test as well as my Group B Strep test. He checked my cervix and it is still closed, thank God. I have been getting really nervous about having this baby. Last pregnancy, exactly 7 days from today, at 31 weeks, my water broke. 2 weeks and 5 days from today, at 32 weeks and 5 days, I delivered Carter. It was an unexpected and awful experience which I have no recollection of. Carter and I almost died that day, and I am praying that things go differently this time around.

For now, we will continue to enjoy this wonderful summer. Steven's birthday is this Saturday and my BFF Kelly is planning a weekend visit as well. It should be a blast! Here are a few pictures from the pool and the MMA fights...

From Crib to Toddler Bed...to Crib.

2010-07-15T16:30:00.002-04:00

Steven and I have been discussing getting rid of the crib for a little while now. We thought that with the new baby coming, we should give it a try before Brooklyn comes home. We figured adjusting to her would be hard for all of us, so we wanted to do it while things were still calm. We have been slowly introducing him to the potty as well. We will get more serious about that in the next month or so.

We removed the front gate from Carter's crib and made a "big deal" out of his new big boy bed. We let him get his pajamas on a little early so he could settle down for night time. He chose stuffed animals and put them in there and we gave him his very own pillow. As soon as my mom came in the door, he brought her down to his room to show her. He was very excited!

When it came time to put him in bed, Steven took him to his room and tucked him in. He left the door cracked because we didn't want him wandering around in his room by himself if he got up. About 1 minute later, he came mozying down the hall. Steven brought him back in and kissed him good-night. Carter came right back out, laughing hysterically. We put him back about 10 more times before deciding that it is still a bit too early for the switch. He thought it was a game and he was not about to go to sleep when he could come and go as he pleased. Steven went in and put the gate back up and Carter was asleep within seconds. So, we will be waiting until after his 2nd birthday before we attempt the switch again. It was worth a try.

Today and tomorrow we are getting the house in order for my mother-in-law, brother-in-law, and Carter's godmother to come visit for the weekend. We are going to the zoo again on Saturday. We had so much fun a few weekends ago and I really wanted to bring my good camera and zoom lens to get some photos. Now that we will have a little more help, I can feel comfortable bringing it. So, hopefully I will have some great photos to post after the weekend! I am ready for some sun and fun!!

Car Shopping...FINALLY! And a Baby Update!

2010-07-09T22:21:00.002-04:00

I have been going insane for months now, unable to drive my Escalade. My hand controls fell off...yes, I said fell off, in the grocery store parking lot and I have had to rely on others to drive me in my own car when I need to go somewhere. Not to mention the fact that the wheelchair lift has been broken since last fall. The company that made and installed it is no longer in production, so I have been unable to have repairs done on it. I am done with custom modifications and refuse to ever drive hundreds of miles to get my vehicle serviced ever again!

I went car shopping with my mom on Wednesday and I have decided to go with a...wait for it...mini-van! Yes, I am officially a soccer mom, LOL! I have always been the first to say "Eew...I'll never drive a mini-van!" That was until I looked at one and thoughts of how easy life would be started running through my head. Seriously...having 2 or more kids should automatically qualify you for a "Free Mini-van" coupon. And best of all, it has a totally perfect automatic ramp and I can drive from my wheelchair. It also helps that it is half the price of a custom modified SUV. I would be a complete moron not to be excited!!

I chose a silver 2010 Toyota Sienna and I will have it in about 2 weeks...if all goes well. It has to be customized a little bit, to ensure that my wheelchair will fit properly. I am biting my nails waiting to get a little independence back!

On to the baby update...we had (what was supposed to be) our 3D Ultrasound appointment yesterday. Brooklyn is measuring perfectly and looks great. She is weighing about 2 pounds, 3 ounces. I wish I had some awesome 3D pics to share, but our stubborn little princess was head down and facing my back, so other than confirming that she is indeed, a girl, we couldn't see much of anything. I took the plunge and signed all of the paperwork for my tubal ligation. Delivery is way too dangerous for me being paralyzed. I have a family to think about and I know they need me, so we have decided that Brooklyn will be our last baby. I am OK with it and absolutely know that it is the best decision for all of us.

In lieu of baby pics, please accept a belly shot from fireworks night.

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T14:00:00.001-04:00

We have already had an eventful weekend...and it isn't even over yet! Thursday was the annual Mardi Gras parade. Carter really liked it. I thought he might be afraid of the sirens on the firetrucks, but he wasn't. It probably helped that they were throwing candy out to the kids! He had a big bag full by the end of the parade!

Friday was Kids Day down at the Mardi Gras, so we brought Carter to ride some rides and play some games. He played games last year, but wasn't big enough for any rides, so I wasn't sure how he would react. Let's just say its a "no go" on the rides! My mom took him on the carousel and he flipped out. It was certainly an experience. Maybe next year!

Carter has a new obsession...Elmo! We were in Walmart the other day and he kept saying something that we didn't understand. "Ulmo! Ulmo!" Steven turns to me and says, "Can...what's he sayin'?" I had no idea. So, some guy walking by goes, "He's saying Elmo." Of course, I was thinking, "Thanks a lot sir...but I think I know my own kid...and he doesn't know who Elmo is." So, we went on our way and ended up buying Carter a Buzz Lightyear action figure, which he loves. We also got him a booster seat for the table because he is a little Houdini and can escape his high chair. Anyway...so we get home and grabbed a toy with Elmo on it..."Ulmo". I felt like a total jerk! He was saying "Elmo" at Walmart! So, I immediately put on Sesame Street and he was riveted! He kept saying "Elmo...Dorothy!" So, this morning we went to the pet store and bought him a little goldfish, which we named Dorothy. He loves to watch her swim...and its adorable hearing him say her name!

We are off to our family cookout today. I hope you all have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Date Night: Eclipse Premiere

2010-06-30T13:52:00.000-04:00

Steven and I were able to go on a much needed date last night. We went to the midnight showing of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. We are really both into it, so it was a lot of fun. The movie was excellent and psyched us up even more for Breaking Dawn. Its nice that we were able to get out for the night and enjoy some time by ourselves.

The traditional "in the car before the movie" shot!

Tomorrow is our town's big "Mardi Gras" parade and the beginning of the 4th of July festivities. I was asked to judge the parade, so that should be interesting. Actually, my mom was asked, but volunteered me because she wants to be able to watch the parade with Carter and help him catch the candy and prizes that the floats throw to kids. Last year, he slept through the entire parade, sirens and marching bands included!

Friday is Kids Day at the Mardi Gras so we will bring Carter down for some games and rides. It will be so much more fun this year since he is bigger. I am really excited to see how he reacts to the whole thing. I remember going to Mardi Gras as a kid...it was the highlight of the summer. I hope he likes it, too!

I hope you all enjoy the food, fireworks, family, and festivities this weekend. Be safe and have fun!!

Right where they belong...

2010-06-28T19:21:00.001-04:00

I know it seems like I have been posting lots of photos of Steven and Carter playing in the yard, but it is just about all they do these days. I have really been enjoying watching them together...they have so much fun! So, since this has been our life lately, here are a few more good ones of my 2 favorite boys doing what they love most! Enjoy!!

Am I the luckiest girl alive, or what?

Makeovers and Monkeys

2010-06-22T20:20:00.005-04:00

Well? How do you like it?? I made this layout all by myself. I thought it was time for a new look. I have made my own layout once before and it really wasn't to my liking, so I have paid for them ever since then. I am so glad I gave it a try because I really like this one...I'm kinda proud of myself!

We took Carter to the zoo yesterday. It was his first time and he had a blast! He really enjoyed all of the animals and even though it was very hot, he never whined once and had a smile on his face for the entire day. He loved the orangutans in the Rainforest and I'm pretty sure he had a conversation with one of them. It was such a fun day and I cannot wait to take him again!! Excuse the picture quality...for some reason, my point-and-shoot doesn't deal with red very well.

As we were walking at the zoo, it hit me that we will not be able to do things like that with our family of 4 as easily once Brooklyn is born. Steven is amazing when it comes to making sure Carter and I get around easily. He came up with the idea of putting Carter on my shoulders and resting his butt on the handles of my wheelchair so he could push us both around comfortably. It worked perfectly for us and we did it all day. Having another baby may make things like that impossible. We will probably need help when going on trips like that. As much as I like to think that my disability doesn't hold me back from being the mother I want to be, reality sometimes puts me in my place. As excited as I am for Brooklyn to be born, I will be enjoying the rest of the summer as a mommy of one. I plan on taking full advantage of being able to go places and do things as a family with ease. Then the fun begins!

I hope you all have a great week. Be sure to stop by theschulerfamily.net for an adorable giveaway from Bloomz! Also, don't forget to check out the Baby Flair giveaway at oxboroughchaos.com!

Relief.

2010-06-19T21:43:00.009-04:00

As of the beginning of this week, all we had for Brooklyn was 3 packages of Tommee Tippee bottles.

On Monday, at my OB appointment, we discussed the possibility of delivering at 37 weeks. He said that he would be comfortable with that and pending amnio results, the week of September 13 will be our tentative birth week. So, I basically have 12 weeks remaining in this pregnancy...which is scary considering all we had were bottles. Last time, we had 4 baby showers. Being our 2nd child, we are kind of responsible for everything. If it were another boy, we'd be set...but now we need pink things. Clearly, I was stressed.

God has always provided for us...I don't know why I was thinking that would change now. Yesterday morning, I received an unexpected (and fairly sizable) refund from school. I was able to purchase Brooklyn's car seat, Pack n' Play, bedding, diaper bag, more bottles, Boppy with extra cover, and a few other odds and ends that we needed. Other than more clothes, nursery decor, and a hamper, we have everything we need for her! What a huge relief!! Here is the bedding and the car seat cover...

Somebody is going to be a little diva!

We were also able to buy Steven a new riding lawn mower, and a push mower, for Father's Day. Ours broke last week and we were kind of fumbling to figure out how we would prevent our grass from reaching knee height. So, we went to Lowe's and replaced our old mower. Just one less stress for me!

So, I am feeling much better about things. Now, we can just grab an outfit and some diapers here and there and we will be all set. Breathe Candi. Breathe.

Busting out the big guns...

2010-06-12T11:16:00.002-04:00

I am shooting a wedding reception today, so I decided to take the Canon outside this morning to get it all set up. As you can tell by the quality of my pictures normally, I use my Kodak point-and-shoot most of the time. Now that I am actually being paid for my photography, I guard my Canon with my life...taking it outside while Carter is playing scares me to death! I have no back-up camera, so if it breaks, I lose money. Anyway, here are a few of the 150 shots I got this morning outside...

Summer Fun...Butchino Style!

2010-06-11T21:21:00.002-04:00

We are home from NY and trying to get into the summer spirit! The weather has been awesome and we have been taking full advantage. I thought last summer with Carter was fun...but this summer has been awesome!! He is getting so big and is such a blast to play with. My Toys R Us habit has gotten a bit crazy, just because there is so much fun to be had outside.

Yesterday, we went to Toys R Us to buy a birthday present for Carter's friend Delaney. We ended up letting Carter choose between a giant dinosaur and a bubble mower. We kind of decided for him since we wanted something he could use outside. We got him the bubble mower. While we were there, we looked at Power Wheels to see if they had anything that Carter could operate by himself. After seeing prices, I decided we should wait until he's older. We went back tonight to look at car seats for Brooklyn and ended up buying Carter a Power Wheels 4-Wheeler. Yes, I know...I have issues. After we got it home, I was so glad we decided to buy it for him! He loves it and totally knew exactly what to do! He was like an old pro, although turning isn't his strong point. But he's only 19 months old...he will learn.

Here are some pictures of our summer fun so far...

And here's a video of the action...

We have a very busy weekend ahead of us. Tomorrow I am shooting a wedding reception and Carter will be having a fun-filled evening with my aunt. Then, Sunday we have a birthday party to go to. Monday, we have a doctor's appointment and will hopefully be able to see our little one then! We are thinking of going to the zoo on Tuesday or Thursday, so that will be lots of fun!!

I hope you all have a great weekend!

An update on life...

2010-06-03T13:38:00.001-04:00

It seems like it has been forever since I last posted. Things have been very very crazy. Right now, we are in New York at my mother-in-law's. Steven's uncle was killed in a motorcycle accident last week, so we came to be with his family. He was a wonderful man and was taken from us way too soon...it is so unfortunate to see all that he left behind, but at the same time it is such a comfort to know that he is in heaven.

As for me, I am doing much better. Thankfully, the antibiotics worked and we were finally able to get rid of that nasty infection. I had the PICC line removed on the 24th. That was honestly one of the most painful and annoying things I have experienced. Not being able to move freely or to pick Carter up was just awful. Now, we are just trying to keep the infection from coming back...which could lead to me having the PICC put back in. Lots of prayer is needed.

This weekend is my 10 year high school reunion. Since I was the class VP, I had to do a lot of the planning for the event. I am still a bit behind on a couple things, but I am going to try to get everything taken care of this evening. I am very excited to see how everyone is doing. I bought a long black dress that kind of makes my baby belly stand out...no sense in trying to hide it!! The irony of the situation is that I lost about 10 pounds right before I got pregnant...because I wanted to look good for my reunion!! Now, I suppose I am allowed to have a big belly!

We will be going back home on Sunday. I am sad to leave everyone, but can't wait to be back in my own house. Monday I will be going to pick out my new truck so we can get the lift (so I can drive from my wheelchair) put in...hopefully the modifications will be done before Brooklyn arrives. So much to do...so little time!

Have a good weekend!!

It can always get worse...

2010-05-19T13:34:00.002-04:00

That is what I have to keep telling myself. Over and over. A lot has happened in the past 2 weeks. Last Monday, I ended up getting the PICC line to administer the IV antibiotics that I needed for my infection. I kind of assumed it would be a scary procedure, but I really wasn't expecting what I got.

First of all, I brought Steven and my mom because I was very scared. I assumed I would be able to have at least one of them in the room. I was wrong. It was pretty much an operating room, with an Xray and ultrasound machine. I had to lay on a cold, hard metal table and they strapped my arm down with blue cloths. They covered my belly with a heavy lead vest and took Xrays and ultrasounds of my arm before injecting me with a local anesthetic that really didn't work very well. Then, they inserted the gigantic needle for the PICC. Once it was in, they did another Xray just to ensure that it was in properly and almost to my heart, then stitched it to my inner arm. I was scared, it was painful, and I was on the verge of tears from beginning to end.

After the line was in, I had to get my 1st dose of the 7 day antibiotic. The nurse said the arm would be tender for about 2 days or so, then I wouldn't feel a thing. Well, she was wrong. It began bruising about 2 days after I got it, and it is still very very uncomfortable...9 days later. It is interrupting my sleep, showers, and pretty much every aspect of my daily life. The antibiotic made me very sick...I was unable to eat for 3 days. I called the doctor to see when I could get the line removed and the nurse said that the doctor talked to my OB and they may have me leave it in for the remainder of my pregnancy "just in case" I develop another infection. I am livid! First off, nobody asked me how I was feeling. I was told before the line was put in that it was for a 7 day cycle of antibiotics. They don't take into consideration the fact that my arms are all I have. I am unable to use my legs and my hands to do things...like pick Carter up. I only have so much precious time left with him as my only child, and I am unable to lift him or play with him like I used to. It is not at all worth it to me to have this PICC in "just in case".

Another big issue with it is that Steven had to take time off of work because I am now unable to care for Carter by myself. What was supposed to be a week could now turn into 20 weeks...making it impossible for him to work before the baby arrives. We need that income...it really isn't possible for us to raise 2 children on the small amount I bring in from my SSI and photography jobs here and there.

These are all such huge stresses I am dealing with. I am trying my best to stay calm because I know the stress can be detrimental to my pregnancy, but it is virtually impossible. I just want some good news. I will find out by Monday if my infection has cleared, then I will be discussing my options with both doctors. I want them to know exactly what I feel and what I've been going through...since they apparently don't care to ask.

As always, prayer needed. I am so very thankful for each and every one!

The penis fell off.

2010-05-03T19:55:00.001-04:00

No, I am not joking. We had another ultrasound today which revealed that we are not having a boy...we're having a GIRL!!! We knew that last time it wasn't 100% confirmed, but we saw what looked like a penis, so we were convinced. Today's ultrasound was a bit more clear...

Not that I wasn't happy with the thought of another boy, but we all know how badly I was wanting one of each. Needless to say, I cried and could not believe what I was being told. After the ultrasound tech brought in 2 different doctors to confirm that it was, indeed a girl, I was beside myself!! We had a name chosen for each gender long before we even got pregnant. So, I give you...

BROOKLYN ROSE BUTCHINO!!

March for Babies 2010

2010-04-27T18:00:00.000-04:00

We did the annual March of Dimes March for Babies this past Sunday. As a team, we beat our goal by $55! Saturday morning, we went to our local elementary school's carnival and raffled off a Boogie Wipes basket. We were able to raise $50 from that.

Sunday, we all drove to Cleveland for the walk. It was a bit chilly, but we tried to enjoy the 4.2 miles anyway. After the walk, we hung out for the closing ceremonies and food and music. It was a great day and a lot of money was raised for a great cause! We were proud to be a part of it!

Team Carter 2010

Please support TEAM CARTER!

2010-04-18T17:19:00.002-04:00

We only have 7 days left until the 2010 March of Dimes March for Babies!! Team Carter is still very far from reaching our $300 goal. It is such a great cause and we are really looking forward to walking for it! If you would like to make a donation in sponsorship of Team Carter, please click the link. Every single dollar counts and every donation makes a huge difference in the lives of babies and parents everywhere!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

My birthday? You're kidding!

2010-04-17T13:37:00.000-04:00

So, yesterday was my birthday...although it sure didn't feel that way. I spent most of the day at the hospital. I guess with pregnancy, you never know where you'll end up on any given day.

Thursday evening, I got a call from my OB. He said that my urine culture from Monday grew the same bacteria as before and that I had to call Infectious Disease. He told me that the regular treatment was Cipro, which cannot be given to pregnant women. I would need to get IV antibiotics...most likely through a PICC line. Come again?!? I am so not cool with pain...especially not that kind of pain. I have heard that getting a PICC is one of the most painful procedures. So, after I broke down into tears, sobbing, I called Infectious Disease. I was able to talk to a doctor who told me that he would like to see me right away...the next day...my birthday. I agreed and made the appointment. All of Thursday night was spent worrying about myself and Jackson. Were we going to be OK? What happens if we can't kill the bacteria? Can this be passed to Carter or Steven? Will the PICC line hurt? I was up all night. I finally fell asleep about 2 hours before it was time to wake up. I totally forgot it was my birthday. I was way too worried about my appointment. I got up, showered, and got Carter dressed and ready to go...I wanted him there if I was going to be in any pain because I knew I had to be strong so he wasn't scared. I also dragged my mom and my friend Mandy along for support. I may be 28 years old, but I always need people to hold my hand!

We got to the hospital and Carter ran around the waiting room, chased by my mom, until we were called in. My entourage followed me and sat with me until the doctor that I had previously talked to came in. He was one of those people who's general demeanor just puts you at ease. He answered all of my questions before I even had to ask them. I am not sick, neither is Jackson. This is a totally normal infection that is simply tricky to treat during pregnancy. I cannot pass this to anyone. Most importantly, no PICC required!! He wished me a happy birthday and handed me a prescription for an oral antibiotic. It is a powder that you mix in water and take 2 days in a row. It is not 100% effective, so I will need to be tested again next week. I could still require an IV for antibiotics, but I will take it. It will stink because I will have to keep it in for 7 days, but I don't want this to cause any issues later in my pregnancy, so it has to be taken care of now. I need lots of prayer that this horrible tasting oral antibiotic works well.

After the appointment ended and I could breathe again, Mandy treated us to my birthday lunch. Of all places, I chose the hospital cafeteria! This is the same hospital I rehabbed in for 2 months after my accident and where I spent 10 days living when I had Carter...not to mention his 15 day NICU stay. Their food is great and I have lots of good (and bad) memories from there. It was a great birthday lunch!

We came home just as Steven was arriving from work. He's the best husband ever, so he made me some cupcakes then we cleaned up the house and started getting ready for my cousin's 21st birthday party. Her birthday was this past Tuesday. We had a really good time with my family at Red Robin. The food was great!! I had never been there before, but I will definitely be going back!

We got home just in time for bed. I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, so I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow...and that was my birthday!

Carter did give me a present 2 days early...he peed on the potty! We are so proud of him!! Although he is still peeing in his diaper, he has gone on the potty almost every time we've put him on. I just can't believe how fast he is growing...I wish I could slow it down just a little!!

IT'S A BOY!

2010-04-12T20:13:00.002-04:00

I had to make a surprise visit to my OB today because I have been fighting a UTI for a few weeks. After the results of my urinalysis come back, I may have to be put on IV antibiotics in order to get rid of the infection for good. If the test comes back positive, he is going to arrange for a nurse to come to my home and administer the meds so I don't have to be in the hospital on my birthday.

So, the bigger, more important news is that we got our gender scan and we are having another BOY!! We are very excited...especially for Carter. He and his little brother will be the best of friends and we cannot wait to see them play together!! Its also somewhat relieving because we saved all of our stuff from when Carter was a newborn/infant, so other than a few odds and ends, there's not much that we will need.

So...without further adieu, I would like to introduce Jackson Vaughn Butchino!!

The End is the Beginning...

2010-04-11T13:32:00.001-04:00

After being out of work for 6 months, Steven has finally gotten a new job. It is with a very good company and is an opportunity that most people pray for for years but never get. He starts tomorrow. I know I am supposed to be happy, and I truly am, but I can't even begin to express how much I am going to miss having him here every day. Not only will I miss sleeping in and the constant help around the house, and with Carter, but just him being home. I truly enjoy being with him...even if we do have disagreements and such. What couple doesn't??

Before we got married, Steven and I took a class with our pastor. He didn't teach us how to get along every moment of every day, but how to fight fair. I really consider that the most valuable information we have ever gotten. From the outside, it probably looks like we are always in disagreement, but we fight fair and we love each other from the time we wake up until the time we close our eyes every night. I am very proud of the relationship we have and that we have stayed together through the good times and the bad since we were in high school.

The thing I will miss most every day is seeing how Steven and Carter have become best friends. They understand each other in ways that others probably never will. They have become inseparable this past 6 months...they play together, sing together, dance together, eat together, and sleep together. I see so much of Steven in his little boy...and I am so grateful for this time that they have had. I pray that I can fill that space for Carter and that he won't be too disappointed when he wakes up from his nap yelling "Dad!" and sees me come through the door. I hope that I can truly do this by myself...without my other half.

Easter 2010

2010-04-06T18:14:00.002-04:00

We had a great Easter. Steven and I woke up about an hour before Carter...that is rare! We were able to shower and get ready for church before he woke up to see what the Easter Bunny had left him. I totally forgot to get pictures of his basket, but I did get video, so I will upload that eventually. Among all of his loot, Carter got a set of golf clubs, so Steven took him out before church to try them out...

After church, we came home and made a wonderful dinner while watching The Passion of the Christ...which is a tradition. After we ate, we rested and Carter napped. Later on, we went to our visit some very close friends and Carter played outside with the other kids. He is growing up so fast...

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter!

Chuggin' Along.

2010-03-29T17:30:00.000-04:00

I have gotten a couple emails asking if we are ok...which by the way, mean more to me than you guys know. I know I say that I only do this blog for myself and my family, but the friends I have made online mean the world to me.

We are doing great. The morning sickness (or "all-day" sickness) started in full-force about 2 or 3 weeks ago. I didn't experience it quite like this with my last pregnancy. I mean, it was still bad, but usually I could dry-heave once and then I felt better. On the days that didn't happen, I took my Zofran and it took care of any nausea I had left. This time, it is unpredictable. I can get sick, feel better, then be sick again 5 minutes later. And the Zofran doesn't work! I have tried everything!! Today, my masseuse gave me some Sea Sickness Wrist Bands and I have been feeling pretty good so far. I am cautiously optimistic that they will continue to do the trick. I am officially in the 2nd trimester today, so I am hoping that things start to even off a bit.

Carter is doing great. He is finally sleeping through the night. With all of our hard work and dedication to "Operation Night-Night", he just needed to do it on his own time. We are now in the process of ordering furniture for his big-boy room. Instead of getting all new nursery furniture, we are getting Carter a toddler bed, 2 dressers, nightstand, and bookshelf. We have chosen this bedding for him. A month or two before the new baby comes, we will start transitioning him into the new bed. In theory, it will work wonderfully, LOL!

Our next appointment is in 2 weeks. I am going to ask my OB to sneak a peek at the baby's gender since my birthday is just a few days later...I am so impatient that I just can't wait another 6 weeks!! Any guesses on what it will be??

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T22:56:00.002-04:00

I know one little boy who wasn't pinched by any leprechauns today...

A Big Decision.

2010-03-15T00:14:00.003-04:00

Today wasn't a great day. It started out OK...Carter slept in until 11am, I woke up with no signs of morning sickness, and Steven cleaned the kitchen from top to bottom. The makings of a wonderful Sunday.

Until I checked my voicemail...

"Hey Candi. It's mom. I assume you are drowning your sorrows in [Caffeine-Free] Coca-Cola right now since Brady Quinn was traded to Denver. Just checking to see how you're dealing with it. I get off of work at 8, so I'll talk to you then. Love you. Bye."

WHAT?!?!

I had accidentally left my phone in the bedroom and had missed this call from my mom as well as about 10 texts from friends telling me of this awful news. It is no secret that I have a bit of a "thing" for Brady Quinn. Not to mention I think he is a great talent that wasn't given the proper attention, teaching, or confidence right off of the bat. He deserved a team and coaches that believed in him...and the Browns never gave him that. Very sad and not fair. So...needless to say, I have a big decision to make and only 6 months to do it...

OR...

What is a girl to do??

Poor Sick Boy.

2010-03-10T18:02:00.002-05:00

Carter is sick. I feel so bad for him. He is just a snotty, whiney mess and it is so sad. He tries to laugh and play, but sometimes you can just tell how yucky he feels. We have been keeping him hydrated and he has been taking 2 naps a day, so I am sure he is on the road to recovery. I just wish I could do more to help the poor guy.

My pregnancy is continuing to go very well. I am getting a little sick here and there, but it is nothing compared to when I was pregnant with Carter. I am fully functioning this time, so that's a huge step! I am very thankful. I am fully into my maternity pants now. I am not even sure that my Bella Band will work anymore. I am afraid to try! I am feeling great and I am enjoying everything about pregnancy this time around, so I will gladly take a few inches on the waistline! My favorite thing is when I ask Carter if he wants to kiss the baby and he climbs up and kisses my tummy. I am hoping to get it on video...I lent my camcorder to my aunt and I am waiting to get it back...but it is definitely something I want to capture on video. It just makes me melt!

I was thinking to myself last night and I realized I had not taken out my camera in a few weeks. I have used my point and shoot a few times, but my DSLR has been sitting in its bag untouched. I finally got a chance to take some photos of my sick little guy today. As you can see, he is no longer sporting the mohawk. Steven buzzed it yesterday because it was too long to put up anymore. I can't wait until it grows back out...he looks too much like a little boy...not enough like a baby! He is growing up so fast!!

Ultrasound #2...just another miracle.

2010-03-03T19:08:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, we had another ultrasound. The baby was measuring right on track and we finally got to hear the nice strong heartbeat! It was wonderful...especially after the little bit of bleeding I had. It definitely eased my mind!

When the doctor on call came in to check things out, he noticed that there appeared to be an extra sac of fluid. No baby, but he referred to it as a "bonus sac". I joked that I could certainly use the extra fluid since my low fluid issues with Carter were what landed me in the hospital the first time. He asked about my last pregnancy and I had explained to him all about the premature labor due to my T-shaped uterus. He continued looking at the screen and said, "I don't see any signs of a uterine abnormality at all." It is very possible that my last pregnancy stretched my uterus back to a normal shape. The miracles keep on coming! This is huge because it may mean that we will not have an "early eviction" this time since the baby will have more room to grow! We are praying hard that my body will keep this baby in until our goal of 36 weeks. That is 4 weeks longer than last time. I would be so thankful for no NICU stay. That was very hard and I cannot imagine doing it with another child at home.

Here are some pictures of yesterday's ultrasound...

A whole lot of nothing.

2010-02-26T23:57:00.000-05:00

That's what we have been doing. Well, not really. We've actually been somewhat busy, but nothing big has been going on.

Monday I had my weekly massage. My back has been very sore, so I am thankful that I get the opportunity to have it worked on. It really does help. Yesterday, I had an eye appointment. I have been out of contact lenses for quite a while, and I was due for some new glasses, too. As I suspected, my astigmatism got worse, causing my prescription to be stronger. I really need to wear my contacts/glasses at all times. I am very guilty of taking advantage of having a big screen TV! I promise that I will be better this year!! Hold me to it!! The optometrist office called today to tell me that my contacts and glasses were ready. I go on Monday morning to pick them up. I am pretty excited because my new specs are pretty awesome!! I will post pics when I get them!

Today we tried to spend the day inside due to the awful weather, but we ended up bundling up because I got a preferred customer coupon for a laptop for Steven. He took his desktop downstairs this week because the only place we could keep it was in the playroom. Carter's wandering hands were constantly all over it. He would take the mouse and hide it from us. He would try his darndest to type on the keyboard, many times pulling it right down off the table. We were very afraid that the monitor or tower would be the next thing to come down. It just wasn't safe for Carter. Now that our finances are in a much better place, Steven and I decided that we would get him a much needed upgrade. So, now his dinosaur desktop is downstairs in the basement. We are trying to sell the 19" monitor, Bose Speakers, and other parts that work well...hopefully!

We have an OB appointment on Monday afternoon. I am very excited to see our little "gummy bear"! I have been having a trace of the brown icky discharge here and there, but I know its no big deal. I had it with Carter. It isn't enough to get distraught over...I just pray that I am not going to have to deal with any more placenta issues. I think the abruption from last time should be my Get Out of Jail Free card for the rest of my pregnancies! I will be sure to post an update on Monday.

I'm going to be an AUNT!

2010-02-22T16:04:00.001-05:00

I am so excited!! Steven, Carter, and I went to NY for the weekend and found out yesterday that my brother-in-law and his wonderful wife are expecting their first baby!! She is due 4 weeks after me. I couldn't have asked for a better preggo-buddy! As you can imagine, my mother-in-law is over the moon! She has 2 grandkids on the way!

Our weekend was so much fun! Friday night, we went to the Casting Crowns concert at Roberts Wesleyan College. Our seats were awesome. Caleb and Kutless were the opening acts and they rocked!! Crowns was great...duh!!

While we were rocking all night, Carter spent the night at my dad's. So, Saturday morning after we woke up, we went over there and spent the day. We had chicken wings with my dad's famous buffalo sauce (my fave) and had a bunch of friends and family over to play Wii.

During our Wii bowling tournament, I noticed that my dad, Steven, and Carter were missing. About 20 minutes later, my dad comes down the stairs and says "Now, don't be mad...because he looks really cool." Steven walked down the stairs with Carter and his new haircut.

After my initial freak-out, I realized that it isn't that bad. I mean, at least now I know none of the other babies will mess with him...because dudes with mohawks are tough!

Sunday morning before church, we had a little scare. I had a little bit of bleeding...the same bleeding that I had at 7 weeks with Carter. There was no cramping or pain, and it had stopped before I even realized it started. I called my doctor this morning and he told me that it happens sometimes and that he isn't concerned. I just have to take it easy. I have an appointment on Monday so hopefully we can sneak another peek at this little one! I can't wait!!

Best Buddies.

2010-02-16T13:13:00.003-05:00

Pick Me To Be Your Valentine!

2010-02-14T19:41:00.005-05:00

Exhausted.

2010-02-12T22:11:00.000-05:00

There is no other word for the way I have been feeling lately. It seems as though I really haven't been doing much of anything...but I am just so tired. I can't sleep at night, but my eyes are heavy all day. Last night, I went out to celebrate one of my very best friend's birthday. I was out until close to midnight. I normally wouldn't go out late like that, but it was a special circumstance. I did have a little bit of caffeine, which I have had none of since finding out I was pregnant. That little bit had me wide awake until 6am. I finally managed to fall asleep, and I woke up less than 4 hours later. Steven and Carter were awake, which made me feel like I should be, too. So, I dragged myself out of bed. Steven saw me and said, "Why are you awake? Go back to bed." I just couldn't. I was still tired, but my brain just wouldn't let me sleep. Steven made me the most gigantic pancakes I had ever seen, and my day had begun. I have been exhausted ever since.

Carter just went to bed, and Steven and his brother are playing Wii, so I am going to try to go to bed and get some rest. Fingers crossed that I get a full night's sleep.

Here are a few pics of Carter being the perfect little model monster I have created!! I took them with my new 35mm lens...it is by far my new fave!!

Introducing Baby #2!!

2010-02-08T21:38:00.002-05:00

Steven and I had our 1st OB appointment today. Everything went wonderfully. I was taken aback by how "normal" I was treated. Not that women who do fertility treatments aren't "normal", but at times you almost feel "special". You get multiple betas to ensure that your HCG levels are continuing to rise, ultrasounds whenever you want, and a special doctor that is there before, during, and after you conceive. When you get pregnant without medical intervention, you are just another mom-to-be. No red carpet, no paparazzi, no big deal. Hmm.

Anyway, I am not completely normal. According to my last missed period, I should be 7 weeks and 6 days pregnant. Well, I am only 6 weeks along. Baby looked great...nice strong heartbeat. I cannot even explain how relieved I was when I saw that little flicker on the screen. It was such a beautiful moment. I had my doctor, who has been through so much with me...and I also had my boys. As soon as Steven pointed to the baby's heartbeat on the big TV screen, Carter started giggling and goes "What's that?" He kept asking over and over. We were all just laughing. He is going to be such an amazing big brother.

We talked to the doctor and he put my on low-dose asprin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, more folic acid, and switched me from Ultram to Percoset for spasms and pain. We know that I can get by with less than 10mg of Percoset per day and it keeps everything under control. I did it with Carter and he was born completely unaffected by it. To be honest, I could handle the pain without taking anything, but the spasms pose a huge threat because they have been known to be strong enough to throw me around. If I were to fall out of my chair, myself and the baby are in danger...so I will do exactly what I did with my last pregnancy as far as meds go. The doctor also told us that he will be putting me on progesterone injections starting at 16 weeks to prevent preterm labor. I will go off of it at about 36 weeks, then we will discuss inducing me. We want to be in full control of this delivery so I do not have the same problems as I did with Carter. He is confident that I will do wonderfully with another vaginal delivery, but an epidural is 100% necessary in order to be sure that I do not end up with Autonomic Dysreflexia, causing another seizure, or worse. We are feeling very optimistic about this pregnancy and I feel great! I couldn't be more excited to add another precious life to my family.

Here are the ultrasound pictures. They aren't much to look at, but we are in love already!

2010 Walk for Babies

2010-02-06T15:18:00.000-05:00

When Carter was born premature, we were thrown into seeing how the March of Dimes helps babies. Of course, nobody wants to be in that position, but I see it as a blessing in disguise. As a family, we vowed that we would do all we could to contribute to this wonderful foundation. Last year, we suited up and went on our very first Walk for Babies...

We were able to raise over $300 for Team Carter in 2009! Thanks to all of you wonderful bloggers out there that donated. This year, we are upping the ante with a goal of $500! I think we can do it. I know that in this economy, we are all very strapped. If you are in a financial position to donate, any amount helps. It is such a wonderful cause. Please stop by our team page if you would like to find out how you can help.

Thank you all for your support. We truly appreciate it!

Who's Going To Be A Big Brother??

2010-02-05T16:04:00.000-05:00

Family Fun!

2010-02-02T22:30:00.000-05:00

With all of the excitement, we have not forgotten to take time to remember that we are still a family of 3 and that we need to spend time that way. We have been laughing and playing a lot...and today we spent the day out. First, we headed to BJ's, which we all know that I loathe!! I hate spending money there. Like, I get that I am getting much, much more for my money...but it is always such an expensive trip because I try my best to buy for the entire month so I don't have to be there twice. The thing that we always get there is Carter's PediaSure. With his low weight, his pediatrician wants him to drink one every day. At our local grocery store, a 6 pack is about $11.00. At BJ's, a 24 pack is $32.99. So, there really isn't much rocket science to it...no matter how much I can't stand the store. Luckily, we still have 2 boxes of diapers from when we went to BJ's after we got our tax return, so we didn't have to spend as much as we normally do.

After BJ's, we realized it was lunch time, so Carter got to eat a Happy Meal. He loooooves chicken mcnuggets, fries, and chocolate milk!! He doesn't get it often, but boy can he chow down on McDonald's! Next, we went to Best Buy to look for Turtle Beach headphones for Steven, which they were out of. So, we moved on to the mall to see if any of the stores had jeans for very skinny, very tall little boys. Most jeans are either too big in the waist or too short...never just right. Well, Gymboree has done it!! These pants are perfect!! And we also snagged him a "Big Bro" shirt, that I will be sure to get photos of soon!

After the mall, we went grocery shopping. Carter had pretty much had it at this point, so we were cut short. We ended up with a full cart, but had absolutely no frozen foods. So, tomorrow I will venture back to the grocery store and get the odds and ends that we were unable to get today.

So...that was our day in a nutshell...here are a couple photos I took at home last night. I just love these boys!!

I'm Pregnant.

2010-01-30T13:57:00.003-05:00

It is just so weird to say!

Now that we have had some time to sort through our emotions, I can tell you all more about what went on here yesterday. I was just kinda speechless at first, and needed to let everything sink in before I could really say anything at all.

For the past few days, Mandy had been picking on how bloated I have been. She kept asking when I was supposed to get my period, but since they aren't regular anyway, I wasn't really concerned. She was right, though...all week I was really really bloated and uncomfortable. I just figured my period was on its way or something. We started talking about how Steven and I got a sitter for this weekend and how I would hate myself if I drank and it turned out I was pregnant. We have not been doing the Clomid or anything since Steven lost his job, but we haven't been "not trying". We have been infertile for so long, that we just assumed that we couldn't possibly get pregnant ourselves. We figured that is how it would always be...and we were beginning to be OK with it.

So, I grabbed a leftover test that I had from our round of Clomid in September. I dropped the urine into the little hole and tossed the test onto the counter like I always do...I am very used to this process. Pee, wait, look, throw away. It is almost automatic. About 30 seconds later, Mandy goes, "Candi? Candi?! Candi!!" I had already began preparing to straighten my hair, so I wasn't looking. I looked over and saw two lines on the test. My first reaction was, "Nope. Its a false positive...it has to be because I am infertile!" Meanwhile, Mandy was shaking! She started running around, then hugged me, then asked if she could go get Steven, who had just put Carter down for his nap. I told her to go ahead. Steven came in and I flashed him the test. His response?? "Isn't that test from the Dollar Store?" Oh, my dear jaded infertile husband...I love him! We asked Mandy to run to Walgreens and grab a digital CBE. She of course, ran out the door and was back before we could turn around! I took the digital test and it came up "Pregnant" right away. We were shocked and speechless! Steven was as far from me as possible...his face was white as a ghost. All he could say was, "How did this happen? I don't have a job." I reassured him that everything would be ok. We have a lot of time to prepare for this baby. And we have saved everything of Carter's so we could use it again.

After the initial shock, we were absolutely ecstatic! Once again, we have beaten the odds!! God has been so good to us. We have a wonderful marriage and friendship, a beautiful little boy that we couldn't possibly love any more, and now we have been blessed with this miracle!! Once again, I am honored that He thinks I am worthy of this job. And I couldn't be more excited to become a family of 4!!

No Snappy Title Necessary.

2010-01-29T16:25:00.001-05:00

No fertility treatments. No Clomid. No temping. No idea.

Wow.

Master Bedroom Makeover

2010-01-26T17:38:00.001-05:00

Two Christmases ago, my mom gave us a "bedroom makeover" coupon. She bought us a comforter set and curtains, and made us a headboard. Since she works so much, she has not had a week's vacation to do this since she gave it to us. This week, she is off of work and she finally finished our room today. I wish I had before pictures, but the state of our room up until today was not something I would've ever taken pictures of. It had only primer on the wall with many scrapes and scratches. Nothing matched and there was no color scheme what-so-ever. It was the only room that we hadn't redone since we moved in...even our bathrooms have been made over in the past 3 years. We are just the kind of people who worry about ourselves last. I tried my best just to keep the door closed when company came over and not show it on the "house tour" when we showed friends and family our home. Now, I no longer have to do that...

My mom is the best!

Playroom 2.0

2010-01-23T14:27:00.002-05:00

Easy Come, Easy Go.

2010-01-22T22:54:00.004-05:00

Our tax return has pretty much came and went. About 3/4 of it went to bills, which we feel wonderful to be caught up on. Then we went to BJ's and stocked up on diapers, wipes, Tylenol/Motrin, Pediasure, and other baby necessities. We will be good for close to 2 and a half months. With Steven being out of work for 3 months, we were more behind on bills than ever before. Like, I'm talking shut-off notices. Since SSI still has not added Carter into the mix, my monthly disability hasn't gone up, let alone the fact that they are still paying me as if Steven is working. Funny how they can go 15 months without paying me for something, but they know right away when they should be lowering my payment. I brought them Carter's Social Security card and birth certificate shortly after he was born, but they said with Steven's job, a 3rd family member wouldn't affect my payment...which was fine. When Steven lost his job, I began hounding them every day, faxing them all the info they'd need. Steven is 3 months out of work and I just got an appointment for this Tuesday.

Steven heard a good word on one of the applications he put in!! We are hoping he will be back to work within the next couple of weeks. Praise God. I will miss having him around during the daytime, but I know how bad he feels about himself that he isn't financially providing for us. It is very hard on him. He is such a great help around the house and with Carter, what he doesn't realize is how proud and appreciative I am of him. This time with him has been a blessing to me, Carter, our home, and our marriage.

We did have a little fun with our return...well, Carter did! We got him a small flat-screen TV and a DVD player for the playroom. We also went today and picked up a DVR/Cable box for him...do you know what that means!?! No more Yo Gabba Gabba in the living room 24/7! So, maybe it was a little for us, LOL! We also got a futon for the playroom so we can go in there with him and lounge. We were at Walmart and I grabbed him some Mega Blox because he plays with them when we are at our BFF's house and he loves them. Steven got him Rocky the Robot Truck...OMG cutest toy ever!! I could watch him dance all day!! Carter likes to put his sippy in the back so Rocky can dump it. So cute. I will post pics of our revamped playroom when it is 100% finished. As for Steven and I, we treated ourselves a bit. I got a 1TB external hard drive and a 28-135mm lens...which I am beyond excited to receive. Steven got some video game stuff...but he would rather spoil us more than himself. It's just the kind of husband and father he is. Don't worry...I have a big surprise in store for him!! One he will never see coming!!

Carter has been a very bad boy at bedtime lately. He is on a sleep strike all of a sudden and will not go to sleep when we put him to bed. He isn't napping any more or any less that usual...just 1 nap per day. When we put him in bed, he screams and cries for about an hour before we go in there. I am all for the CIO method, but I will not leave him to cry for over an hour. I think he may have a slight ear infection. He occasionally rubs his ear...but other than that, he seems ok. But my mommy instinct says something is up, so he will be going to the pedi this week. She wants to see him anyway to check his weight. Last time we were there, she was a little concerned since he was only in the 3rd percentile with weight, but in the 75th percentile with height. He loves his Pediasure and drinks it every day, so I think he will be just fine. He is just so active. He is walking everywhere now, and if he isn't eating or sleeping, he is playing. He spends most of his time taking each toy out of his toybox, walking over to the other side of the room, and putting said toy in his basketball hoop...then going "Oooohh!" He will repeat this over and over until just about every toy is out of the toybox. It is hilarious to watch.

I am so sorry there are no pictures to post...we have been so busy. Steven is getting ready to put the futon together, so I will take pics before and after Carter wakes up in the morning and empties the toybox into the basketball hoop! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!

Same Old, Same Old

2010-01-17T16:06:00.003-05:00

Nothing new has been going on. Steven's brother and cousin stayed with us for a week, which was fun. We did lots of 4-wheeling, sledding, and general goofing off. Now, we are just taking the weekend to wind down and get our house back in order. I was able to borrow Angie for a photo shoot before she left. Here are a few photos from that...

Speaking of photos, I had a total idiot moment the other day and deleted all of my photos. I thought I was just deleting client photos that I had backed up onto a flash drive, but I somehow deleted every picture I had on my laptop. Thankfully, I have only had this computer for about 6 months, so most of the pics of Carter's 1st year were not lost. Between facebook and my blog, I am OK, but I am taking extra precautions from now on. Tomorrow, I am buying a Time Capsule. I looked at other external hard drives, but the thought of having to plug it in and backup all my files every time I upload pictures made me nervous. What if I forget? I have a MacBook Pro, so its not like I'd be leaving it plugged in at all times. I would have to remember to do it every day...not happening. The Time Capsule is wireless and works with Apple Time Machine, which automatically backs up your files for you. Perfect for someone as scatter brained as me. Its on my agenda for this week.

Last night, we went to our friends' house and had dinner with our pastor Ken and his wife, Shelley. It was very nice. Lots of great food and fellowship. It is so fun to go over there and watch Carter interact with their girls. I can't believe that he now goes off and plays with other kids...it seems like just yesterday that he would stay in my arms for hours. Now I can't keep him near me for more that a few seconds if other kids are around. He is so grown up!!

We filed our taxes and should be getting our return tomorrow. It seems like it is already gone. We have to catch up on our bills, pay off our TV, get a new TV stand, get a new bed, get Steven a cell phone that works (he dropped his and has a huge crack on the screen.)...and a million other things. With Steven being unemployed, we have to use this money carefully. Paying off our TV will be a big help because that is $150 more per month that we will have for other bills. We have been in dire need of a new bed for a long time now, but it just isn't a priority...so I am very excited. A good night's sleep will be very nice! I may not want to wake up!

I forgot to post this, but Carter has a new obsession...and it has definitely blown Gabbas out of the water. Well, not the TV show...he still loves that, but we no longer need to make sure that there is a Brobee in every room in our house. Carter has discovered balls. Mostly little basketballs, but really any ball will do. He walks around saying "ball! ball! ball!" and always has one with him. He will not even sleep unless he has a stuffed ball in his crib. The other night, I bought him a 3-pack of Cleveland Cavaliers softee basketballs. Those are his fave. He takes one everywhere he goes. I'm sure you will be seeing lots of pictures!!

Well...a dirty kitchen awaits me. Wouldn't it be great if the dishes washed themselves?

Sledding.

2010-01-05T18:11:00.000-05:00

Antsy Pants

2010-01-03T17:29:00.000-05:00

My boys are on their way home!! I am so excited! I am sooooo antsy right now...I can barely sit still. The house is clean and there is nothing to do but sit and wait...and blog.

My mother-in-law sent me this picture earlier today of Carter in the car, getting ready for the ride home. I miss that adorable face and can't wait to kiss it a hundred times!!

Today has been truly relaxing. Funny how I finally relax and its time for them to come home. I kinda think I was able to enjoy today because I know that this awful 2 1/2 days is coming to an end. I have been sitting on the couch wrapped in my Snuggie eating snacks...and watching lots of TV...all day. Alone. My mom and her boyfriend were here all weekend, so I really didn't get time to myself until today. I must say that it is very nice to have no one to entertain and nothing to do.

But I still can't wait for them to get here.

DIY.

2010-01-02T22:08:00.001-05:00

After the initial $4,000 spent on my MacBook Pro, camera, and software...then the $2,000 spent on lighting, lenses, and random studio odd and ends, I am now in "DIY mode" to finish my studio. Let's just say that the money tree has wilted. Anyway, I still have to hang backdrops and get reflectors for natural light photography.

Today, I went to Lowe's and bought a 4x8 piece of white foam board insulation and 4 shelf brackets and made a large reflector. Normally, these things cost a pretty penny...but not here...not today! I made this bad boy for about $20!! Amazing!!

This week, I will return to Lowe's for 2 metal plant hangers and a piece of PVC pipe to hang my backdrop. In theory, it will work like a charm.

Oh yeah...and I am still going crazy without my boys...literally counting the hours until they are home. They'll be on their way tomorrow afternoon. Please pray for nice weather and safe travel for them. By this time tomorrow night, they will be back in my arms, right where they belong.