Our trip to the quote unquote Pumpkin Patch...

So I decided last weekend that it would be a really great family outing if we took Katie and the boys to a pumpkin patch/cider mill. We could walk around, drink cider, eat donuts and get really great pictures of Katie amongst the field of pumpkins. But even the best of plans don't always come to be. We went to a cider mill out in Romeo (yes ROMEO! We were already kind of on that side of town). When we got there the weather didn't look so great and it started to sprinkle. We walked around a little bit trying to find where this big pumpkin patch was. No luck. They had a table in a barn with some pumpkins on it! We were able to get a cute picture of Katie on a flat bed with some huge pumpkins but that was about it! We also stood in line for well over an hour just to get donuts. But I have to say, these were some darn good donuts! Good enough to want to go back.




I also thought it would be a neat trip down memory lane to post a couple of pictures of Katie from then and now. She really has grown! She is now almost 20 lbs and growing. She can sit up well and is FINALLY rolling over more. (video of that to come as soon as the new video camera arrives!!!!!) So in honor of my big girl, here are pictures of her first bath at home and her bath last night.




As for me, well, i'm hanging in there. I have made it out of the first trimester but am still waiting for that magical day where it all starts to get better!

News from the homefront...

Actually, not a whole lot of big news to report these days. Katie got her winter coat the other day so we're now ready for the blustery cold to get here! Well, we're not really "ready" but when the cold arrives, Katie will be nice and toasty warm. I put the coat on her just to try it on and she got really goofy and was making the cutest faces. As always I couldn't get a good picture.

I also got my hair cut on Saturday. The picture is my lame attempt at taking my own picture with my cheap camera phone. Not great but you get the idea. I decided to get the high lights colored out so I didn't have to worry about keeping up with them. They were about 1/2 grown out anyway and I looked pretty trashy so at least now my hair is back to what might possibly be my "natural" color. That remains to be seen though!! It came out a little shorter than I was thinking but when the hair cut portion of your bill was only $10 I guess you can't ask for much. I'm thinking i'll let it grow out an inch or so or maybe go somewhere decent and get a better style. Of course i'm not sure when i'll make time to get back to see anyone for a hair cut but I have good intentions.

I have had a migraine and throwing up spell almost every week now. Fun stuff. I am officially in the second trimester now so i'm really hoping that the energy and feeling good starts to come back. I can't take any more of staying in bed all day with a migraine and only getting up to puke. And i'm sure my family would be much happier if I felt better and wanted to do something besides veg. I am also thanking God that this is the last time i'll be pregnant!!! At least now I get to look at Katie and know what the end result will be!!

Katie is doing really well too. She is really trying to get crawling down but no luck yet. She typically will just get one leg going and end up going in circles. If we had a video camera that was made in the 21st century I could download video for everyone to see, but until we hit the lotto you'll just have to imagine!! In other non Brunette related news...my favorite Chili Pepper's 22 year old girlfriend shucked out a boy last month. So why am I sharing this with people who probably really don't care? Well, because in my world this is considered big news!!! I can't believe he had a baby, must have been an oops!!!

Just an update

So attached is a picture of the ski sweater I just finished for Katie. I was really scared that it would be too small for her but when I held it up to her the sleeves are about 2" too long. I'm really hoping she can wear it for most of the winter because it took me some time to get the thing done. I really thought that by working part time i'd have time to knit but by, was I wrong! If I can get two rows done in a day that's a huge accomplishment. I have now decided that since i've been letting my personal interests go by the wayside that i'm going to make time on most days that I can to do some knitting. I'm sure I won't be knitting sweaters in 3 weeks anymore but at least I can do SOMETHING that makes me feel like I still am a person who can do stuff and not just a mom who is always thinking and taking care of someone else 24 hours a day. Of course I won't neglect Katie but when she's happily playing in the exersaucer i'll be spending some ME time doing something I want to do. I'm sure by next April i'll stop being Amy and start being mom to Katie and X and never have free time again until they go to school. Yeesh, as I type this it really makes me want to cry. Not that I don't want to be a mom, not that I don't want two kids but it is so stressful sometimes. The not being able to sleep in anymore, I can't just go and get my hair cut anymore, I can't hit up the driving range anymore, I can't golf anymore. Sometimes I just feel so tied down. Heck, I can't even schedule a doctor appointment anymore without having to consult someone elses schedule or I just have to take Katie along in her seat, which weighs probably around 20 lbs with her in it. I can't wait until she can sit in a chair and play with a toy while I'm getting an exam or whatever. And it is only going to get worse when there are two of them. I seriously need more friends around here who could come and help out when i'm in a bind. It would be nice.

So enough of the pity party I guess. Katie is sitting up all by herself really well now and I can't imagine it will be long before she gets up on all 4's and starts crawling. I let her stay on her tummy and flail her arms and legs as much as possible. Today she got frustrated, got her legs under her and butt into the air! But her arms were collapsed and her head was on the ground. But it was progress, she's slowly figuring it out. And when she does i'll wonder why I ever wanted her to be mobile!!! Well, speaking of taking care of babies, she is crying and I have to go and get her.

To answer the age old question...

Who does Katie resemble more??? Her mommy of course! Okay so it depends on what pictures you use but the results have either been she looks more like me by a few % or she looks equally like the both of us. Silly fun but thought I would share.

Today we had parenting group and it was nice. We went to the home and studio of a professional photographer. She gave us some basic tips on how to use our cameras to take better pictures and also took a few pictures of our babies and she'll send one or two in the mail for us to keep. Katie fell asleep when she started doing pictures so she asked me if we could do some sleepy pictures. Katie woke up after a few shots but I think the photographer got a few good ones. I can't wait to see them! And if anyone is dying to know what I want for my birthday (and Christmas), you can always contribute to the "Amy's 8 months pregnant and Katie is 1 professional pictures" that I really want to have done. I'm assuming they would be pricey but they would be sooooooooo neat. I mean, this is my last pregnancy, don't you all want me to capture this moment? To capture Katie at 1 with her gargantu-mommy? It would be so sweet! Anyway...

I really think my child is just way too easy. The past two nights she has gone to bed when I put her down. No fuss, no cry, no problems. She just goes to sleep and sleeps 10 hours straight. (I'm sure i'll be kicking myself tonight when she is having a tantrum and I need to take her for a car ride to get to sleep!!!!). I can't help but think this next child is going to be evil. I'm getting it so easy right now and I really pray to God the next one is just the same. But "they" keep telling me the first one is easy, it tricks you into having more and then the second one is horrible, won't sleep, cries all the time, etc... I guess it all remains to be seen. Personally, i'm hoping to get through the pregnancy as easy as last time, except to omit the pre-eclampsia part at the end. Really, can't I just experience a "regular" labor and delivery? PLEASE!!! Like my water breaks at 8 in the morning, we go to the hospital after I have some contractions that aren't too bad, I get to the hospital and push for 20 minutes and poof, baby arrives! I know you're laughing and saying that never happens but it did. It happened to a friend of my sister in law with her first baby. So it CAN happen and i'm praying it happens to me!

On a happier note...

Thank God for small favors. I haven't had a migraine or thrown up in over a week. what a glorious week it has been too! I can deal with the usual tired and cranky but the migraines have got to go.

Friday I took Katie to JC Penny's to have her 6 month pictures done. I think they turned out well. She was ready for a nap when we got there so I was kind of scared, but the lady was able to get her to laugh out loud so we were able to get some great pictures of her smiling. I won't get them back until the 25th but they should be available online soon. I'll let everyone know when they can look at them! I also had a couple of pictures taken with her (even though my hair is two toned and hasn't been cut or colored in MONTHS). I think they turned out well considering...

Last week Nana was able to spend a few days at our house and watch Katie for us. It was nice to have her there. I could nap if I wanted to and go back to bed in the morning if need be. Of course as soon as I would try to lie down for a nap i'd get right back up. Too much on my mind and too many things to always be done. I guess my health can take a back seat to getting dishes done. Anyway, Katie loved spending time with Nana and I enjoyed having her there. This weekend we didn't do a whole lot and it was nice. Katie ended up taking a 2.5 hour nap on Sunday so I took advantage and got in a 2 hour nap myself. Oh glorious sleep, I will miss you come April!!!

And that's about it for us. Matt and the boys continue to be busy with sports, I try to not be a zombie and function like a human being at work and the world goes on!!

Even more sad

So they took the baby off life support and he died right away. They then arrested the babysitter and charged her with murder. I don't know all the details but I believe it is thought she shook him and that's why he stopped breathing and went into a coma. I can't even imagine...all I can do is keep them in my thoughts and prayers.

Very Sad...

My mom and step dad go to church with the parents of a guy I went to high school with. This guy and his wife have a baby who is three months younger than Katie. I do believe they had a bit of difficulty conceiving and after the baby was born there was a scare that he was maybe deaf. Last week he passed his hearing test and was given praise during church. I just found out that something terrible happened and he stopped breathing a few days ago. He then slipped into a coma. They are pulling the plug today as he has no brain activity and there's no hope. I am not close to them but I feel a real loss here. It makes me want to go and hug Katie and kiss her and spend as much time as I can with her. I never want to be in the situation these people are in and I can't even fathom how they will make it through.