Happy Memorial Day!

I am so thankful to be off work today. Of course, Patrick is working, so Declan and I have had a lazy morning!



Happy Memorial Day, y'all!!

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Show Us Your Life: Favorite Dessert

My favorite dessert recipe comes from one of my college friends, Lindsey:


She makes THE BEST Banana Pudding:

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (5 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix

1 cup cold milk

1 (16 oz) carton cold whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 (8 oz) containers cool whip, thawed

4 bananas, sliced

Vanilla wafers

Instructions:

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in condensed milk, pudding mix, cold milk, whipping cream and vanilla until smooth. Fold in 1 container of cool whip.

Line the bottom of dish (I usually use a trifle dish) with vanilla wafers. Arrange sliced bananas evenly over wafers. Spread with pudding mixture. Repeat. Top with remaining whipped topping. Chill.

Back to Work

I went back to work this week. And I LOVE it. I thought it would be hard, and it was. But now that I'm back, I'm thankful to have this as my future profession. I love taking care of my own baby at home, and I now realize how hard it is to be a SAHM - power to you ladies!! But I also love taking care of other people,too. I love coming home at night to my sweet baby, knowing I made a difference in someone else's life.

This week was Patrick's first week at home with Declan. I received this text this morning:
"He is a professional stay awake artist. And I am losin it. Come home please so I can clean this house." Haha!! I think it's so funny, bless his heart! I know he will get the hang of it soon!

I'm looking forward to a weekend with my boys!!

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Itchy Legs

Since I started working out, I have been having a problem with itchy legs when I'm exercising. They get all blotchy and red, and they itch like crazy!




It has definitely gotten better the more I've worked out, but it is so annoying!!

Do you know what causes this? I like to think it's the fat burning!! :)

Has this ever happened to you?

BBQ Fest

Last night, we packed Declan up and sent him to Nana and Pop's.

This was his 3rd time to spend the night out. The 1st time he spent the night at Gia's [my mom], so Patrick and I could go to dinner at Restaurant Iris - absolutely delicious! The 2nd time was at Nana and Pop's [Patrick's parents], and Patrick and I went to dinner and a movie.

We had a great time at BBQ fest last night. Usually it takes place at Tom Lee Park by the river, but due to the massive flooding (aka the Great Flood of 2011), they moved it to Tiger Lane (the tailgating area for University of Memphis). We happen to live right down the street from Tiger Lane, so this was really convenient. This was by far the most fun I've ever had at BBQ fest - we had a BLAST! We didn't get home until 2 am!



The phone call at 8 am this morning to come pick him up came awful early. We are parents, though, and the show must go on! :)

My Favorite Room in the House

I think that one of the most special things about being pregnant is decorating a nursery. For months, I handpicked every little detail, with the idea that everything had to be perfect for my little man. I would get home from work, and Patrick would build me a pallet in the middle of Declan's room so I could just lay there and think about my son. For months I imagined myself rocking him to sleep in his cream glider, changing his diaper under his big initials, putting his clothes away in the dresser that was his great-great-aunts, and laying him in his sweet crib surrounded by safari animals. It quickly became my favorite room in the house!

I finally got around to taking pictures of Declan's nursery. I am not as good with the camera as Patrick, so the pictures do not do it justice, but you get the idea!

{30 weeks pregnant}

When I look at the last picture of his changing table, I chuckle to myself. Four months ago I would have been mortified by the plastic mobile and the straps hanging off. Oh, how things change when you have a screaming little one. We got the mobile as a gift, and after weeks of scream-filled diaper changes, my mom convinced me to use it. He absolutely LOVES that mobile. Sometimes I strap the kid in, sit on the floor, and just let him watch the thing go round and round!

Mothers Day 2011

My first Mothers Day was more than I could ever imagine!
I told Patrick that Mothers Day may be my new favorite holiday...I just love it! Ha!

The morning started off great with flowers and breakfast in bed - french toast, fruit, and a mimosa - yummmm-oooo!
When I was finished eating, Patrick brought me a beautifully wrapped present. It was the sweetest picture book that he had made on iPhoto with lots of pictures of me and Declan.
After that, Declan and Patrick brought in ANOTHER present. I was so surprised! I opened it, and it was a David Yurman ring with an "aquamarine" stone. Aquamarine is Declan's birthstone, so it just meant so much to me! I absolutely love it, and every time I look at it, I think of my boys!





Then we all started getting ready for church. It was Declan's first time to go to church, so we were really excited. We sat in the cry room, and he did pretty well. We fed him right when we got there, and he mainly just looked around while we held him the whole time. I loved carrying him up to get communion and him getting blessed.

After church, we came home and immediately started getting ready for our get-together. We had my family and Patrick's family over for lunch. It was a beautiful day, so we spent a lot of time swinging on our front porch and just spending time together. We ate meat loaf, grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Patrick's parents got me a St. Declan medal with an inscription on the other side that said Declan's name and birthdate. I was so excited! It was so nice having everyone over to celebrate the moms and grandmoms!

Weight Loss Wednesday - Week 2

I lost 2 lbs (1 being the lb i gained last week) this week.
I blame the measly loss on Mothers Day lunch - it was deeeelish!!

I did work out 4 days last week, which is excellent for me. I love our new gym!!

The good news is, I still feel very motivated. I have never been so out of shape in my entire life. And truthfully, if you don't get in shape after you have a baby, when are you going to do it?

Plus, I'm a bridesmaid in my best friend Jenna's wedding in December, and the dresses are super cute one shoulder, and I'd like to look halfway decent! Haha!!

Hopefully I will have even better news next week!!

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The Answer

Declan had his 8 week checkup today, including his shots! :(

I have to admit, that for the last few weeks, this little guy has been giving us a run for our money. I call him my sensitive guy, because any little thing can set him off. He cries a lot of the day, and a lot of times nothing can calm him down. He still eats in 3 hr increments, and keeps us up throughout the night. He only smiles a couple times a day, and we really have to work for it. I knew in my heart what was causing this, but was afraid to admit it to myself.

But Dr. Mathis told us the minute he walked in to the exam room today, just by hearing him and watching his mannerisms. My precious boy is colicky. Every new moms WORSE. NIGHTMARE.

I knew being a new mom was going to be hard. I knew there would be sleepless nights. I knew that there would be times that I wasn't going to be able to fix him. But I didnt know it could be this hard. Having a colicky baby is something that can't be understood unless you experience it.

There have been times when Declan and I are both crying, because I can't find anything to make him stop! I just love him so much, and he cries like he's in pain, and I want to fix him, but I can't. And this happens on a DAILY basis.

There is no identified cause of colic, but it is basically hours of inconsolable crying in a healthy baby every day. It happens to many babies, and it is nothing that parents do wrong to cause it. It generally begins around week 4, peaks at week 6, and disappears by week 16.

I feel comfort knowing that there is an end to this, and that this is no indication of what his personality will be like. He is still my perfect little boy. He just happens to be perfectly colicky! And we'll get through this. One day at a time.

Here's a picture of my little chunk eating at the doctors:


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Weight Loss Wednesday - Week 1

So... I'm embarrassed to say that Week 1 was a flop.

I gained 1 pound.

I tried WW online, and I have to say, I really dislike the new Points Plus system. Now, instead of points being based on calories, they are based on carbs and fat. It is much more difficult to "guess on the go" how many points a food item is. And this busy mom needs simple and fast!! So I cancelled my WW account, and now I'm counting calories.

I did go to the gym...once. :(

So this week is a new start, and I plan on having good news next week!

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