Fall Soccer

This fall Savannah played soccer for the first time.  We signed her up back in the spring and she was very excited to play.  I know how she is in new situations so against his will I signed Jay up to be an  assistant coach.  The first month was pretty rough.  Savannah would do OK for the first 15 minutes of the hour long practice/game and then she would constantly leave the field to see Shane and I on the sideline.  She would often cry and say she didn't want to play.  It didn't help that she only knew 1 boy on her team (from pre-school) and the other girl on the team didn't like playing either and eventually quit.  I explained to her that she had wanted to play so we signed her up and that she needed to finish the season.  Wouldn't you know that by the end of the season she FINALLY started to enjoy herself .  I asked her this morning if she was sad that today was her last day of soccer.  She told me no because she was going to play again in the spring.  She is such a little turkey.

 

Today was the final day of Fall Soccer 2012.

 



9 Month Check-Up

I know, I know.  I am behind on Shane's 9 Month post....again.  I hope to finish it up within the next few days.

Yesterday Shane had his 9 Month check-up with his Pedi.  He weighs 19 lbs 11 oz (30th percentile) and is 30 1/4 inches tall (90th percentile) with a head circumference of 45 1/2 cm (50th percentile).  His doctor was very pleased with everything and said he is doing wonderful.  Again, we passed on all immunizations but he did have a finger stick to test for lead and to check his iron level.  My little toughie didn't shed a tear!  I was so proud of him.  I am also surprised that Savannah didn't get upset when the nurse pricked him.  She is such a sweetheart when it comes to her brother.

Look at that little finger!!!

The only concern I had for Dr. M was what we have been referring to as his "chub booboo".  Shane has had this sore behind his right knee for about 6 weeks.  It would  sometimes look raw & ooze a clear watery liquid.  I would apply some Aqua.phor a few times a day and it would scab up nicely but it never fully healed up.  I thought it was just a "chub" sore because it is in the knee fold.  Turns out it is a flare up of eczema and it is slightly infected.  I will now be awarded the "worst mom ever" trophy for not having it checked sooner.  We were given 2 prescriptions (an antibiotic & a steroid cream) to be used 5x daily between the two.  Dr. M suggested we bathe as infrequently as possible, lube him up multiple times a day with his body cream and call if it doesn't go away.  She said not to be surprised if it returns but we do need to respond to the medications.

Dr. M mentioned that she could feel the slight click in Shane's hip again on examination today as well.  My heart sunk when she said I needed to bring him for a x-ray next week.  She said that he could have a flat spot in his hip socket that if left untreated could turn into arthritis as early as his 30's.  I know having an x-ray isn't a big deal at all but the thought of my boy having a problem hurts my heart.  She did say that if he did have this flat spot there are things that they can do to correct it.  I didn't think to ask what those "things" were.

I hope everyone is excited for the weekend and also preparing ready for the storm that is likely to hit our area next week.  The thought of loosing power is horrifying (the last 3 times we have lost power it was our for 5 days EACH TIME!!!) but at least I can drink away my sorrows with wine this time.  I was pregnant for the last storms.

Pre-School Field Trip Fun

Today Shane & I went on a pre-school field trip with Savannah and her class.  We went to the pumpkin patch at Westview Farms Creamery & it was awesome and as cold as the North Pole.  I have always wanted to bring Savannah to a real pumpkin patch to pick a pumpkin plus this was one of the activities listed on the Fall Bucket List.    The Farm was on top of a big hill and it was right where the tornado passed through a year and a half ago so it was super super windy.  The kids were dressed for it but I wasn't.  I really could have used a vest and gloves.  As usual, Shane was a trooper and such a good boy.  Hopefully next fall we will be able to go to the patch again as a family. 

We had a beautiful view

 Hay ride

 Play place fun

 Hay ride with friends

 The 3 of us

 He LOVED the Er.go today

 The pumpkin patch

 Savannah and her friend Taizhalynne

 She is adorable!

It warms my heart that my shy girl has made some awesome friends at school

 Story time after our picnic lunch

 Singing and some fun!

He slept for over an hour all cuddled up in the Er.go

 

 Yummy ice cream from the creamery

 Class picture

 My boy

 On the way home we stopped at our favorite coffee house to warm up with fancy coffee drinks & hot chocolate.  Check that one off the Bucket List too!

Slow Cooker

I think the slow cooker is an awesome invention but I often forget to use mine (I have 2- this one & this one).  I love the "throw in the ingredients and forget about it till dinner time" quality of the appliance but most slow cooker recipes don't use the healthiest ingredients and I try and feed my family as much non processed, non canned food as possible.  I really enjoy making home cooked, nutritious meals but I never have time at 4 o'clock in the afternoon to cook up a big meal.  After some Pinte.rest exploring I have stumbled across a wonderful blog that often has homemade variations to their ingredients.

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/

Tonight I made Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes and they were amazing!  I made the cream of chicken soup & ranch seasoning from scratch.  Evertyhing was super easy and I had dinner cooking on the counter before Shane's morning nap.  Savannah had soccer practice tonight so it was awesome to have a hot meal waiting when we walked in the door at 6!


(picture courtisy of Six Sissters Stuff).

Picture People Groupon

I wanted to let all of my Bloggie friends know that today Grou.pon is offering a session & picture package with The Pict.ure Peo.ple for only $16.00.  Our local Mall has a wonderful location that takes great pictures.  You really can't beat the price when Grou.pon has this offer.  I think this is the 4th time I have purchased it.  This Grou.pon says it can be used at any US locations.

http://www.groupon.com/deals/picture-people-atlanta-3?utm_medium=afl&utm_campaign=2522027&utm_source=rvs

TVT

-We have started sleep training this week with Shane.  He was doing fairly well in the sleep department (going to bed at 8pm, waking for a snack at 4am & waking for the day around 7am) until last week.  He started waking at 11pm and then every 1 1/2-2 hours for the rest of the night.  Not good.  NOT GOOD at all!  Technically the training started at 3am Tuesday morning.  I was so.dang.tired that I just couldn't sit and nurse him back to sleep {again} so I let him cry it out.  He cried for 30 minutes then slept until 7:30am.  Tuesday night he went to bed early (7pm) and work at 10pm.  He cried for about 40 minutes then did wake again until 7:15am.  Last night he went to bed at 8pm and slept until 6:30am!  Booyah!

-We have stopped Savannah's afternoon naps.  She was still falling asleep quickly at 2pm and sleeping until 5pm daily.  However she couldn't fall asleep at bedtime (8pm).  The poor kid would lay in bed singing songs to herself for over an hour.  Now that we have stopped nap she falls asleep withing 10 minutes of hitting the pillow.

-We have really  been cracking down on Savannah's behavior since the weekend.  The weekend was pretty hard but she has been really really good all week.  Keep it up girlfriend!  We went shopping yesterday and she wanted to get two things.  I normally would have just  gotten them both for her but I am trying to stop this as well.  I told her that if she behaved herself while I was shopping she could pick 1.  She was good and wanted both when it was time to go.  She started acting up a little but I stuck to my guns.  I gave her ample warning and told her if she didn't make a choice & straighten up she wasn't getting either.  She changed her tune and made her decision.  Good girl!

-Shane is working on two more teeth!  As of now, he has 5 teeth so this will make 7! 

-We are down to nursing 4 times a day.  First thing in the morning, morning nap, afternoon nap & bedtime.  This makes me sad.  My boy is growing up too fast.

-I am going to have a cowgirl & a cowboy for Hallo.ween!  It was going to be Cinde.rella & Pri.nce Char.ming but Savannah had a change of heart.

-I am trying so had to live in the moment of life and not get swallowed up by the future.  My mind is always thinking of what I need to be doing now to make later easier.  I need to stop and enjoy the NOW.  My kids are growing up way too fast.  I need to enjoy this time because I will never get it back.

-The kids had pictures taken a few weeks ago.  The session was pretty much a flop because both kids were sick with colds and were asleep in the car.  They weren't really in the mood to ham it up.  Savannah did pretty good but Shane wasn't having it.  Right after she took the picture of Shane in the wagon (looking like a chubby, crabby old man) he fell out of the wagon but I caught him 1inch before he landed on his face.  Oh!  And the last picture-I don't know if I love it or hate it!  My little nerd baby!  Haha!  And yes, thank you, my daughter is freaking beautiful.

 

 

 

 

-I did a major closet clean out this weekend.  On Monday night my dear friend and I went shopping for some new clothes together.  It was awesome to get out of the house with my best friend and have adult time.  We drank coffee, spent money & talked!  I got {gasp} skinny jeans, tall boots & a few stylish sweaters.  Yoga pants and sweatshirts may be comfortable but I need to get my shit together.  AND...I got a haircut on Friday.  Just a trim since I am growing it out for my cousins wedding in May.  We haven't been dress shopping yet and I am really hoping this isn't going to be a problem.  It's hard for the Virgo in me to sit back and not take control but then again it isn't my wedding!  Lol!

One more quick thing-I want to thank everyone for the advice on my last post.  We have gone ahead and invited my in-law's, brother in-law & his new chick over for Sunday's football game.  I am proud to say - this was MY  idea.