For any of my readers who have toddlers, you should know, just like I do by now that the difference between a toddler and an infant are completely different. I thought it'd be the same. Boy, was I wrong. Someone must have forgotten to remind me about the screaming tantrums. Oh yeah, and when they learn how to say 'no'. Sheesh. I can honestly say though, in the past couple months she has started to settle down. We're still working on key words, like milk, juice, water & certain foods. It'll get easier, right? Nah.


I guess I forgot to mention yesterday that I'm an administrator on a Facebook page called Team Toddler. Check it out if you want. It helps keep me sane, most of the time. :p

But, this weekend should be a bucket load of fun considering that we are going to Georgia, 3 and a half hours with a toddler. We haven't road tripped with her in like 3 months. And me, being a busy mom and such, I haven't even packed a damn thing. Oops. Hey, that's what's naptime is for! And for those of you with girls instead of boys, you totally feel my pain on packing for a trip with her. I am not exaggerating when I say that I have to bring like a week's worth of clothes, at least 5 bathing suits and multiple pair of shoes. We're trying to teach her independence so most of the time she gets a say in what she wears that day, but the other 90% is because she's messy.

I don't know how many of you have older grandparents. My grandma is about to be 91, and normally we see her when we go to GA, but she had hip replacement surgery and is now in a rehab facility. I'm not sure what the policy is about bringing children in there, but my uncle of course said that 'she has to be quiet'. I literally spit soda out of my mouth and told him that's like putting a muzzle on a grizzly bear with no tranquilizer. It ain't gonna happen. But, I guess it goes deeper into the fact that I don't know if she will remember this visit or not and if this is the environment I want her to remember her great-grandma. It seems so...cold and uninviting. My uncle has contested to that statement and told me he loves this facility so we will have to see. A toddler in a rehab facility, that'll be a good blog post. Ha.

And let's not forget my biggest aggravation with road tripping for a weekend is that she has to sleep in a pack n play instead of a toddler bed. In the same room as me and her daddy. And he snores. Loudly. But so does she, so it kinda levels out the playing field there. I don't know how a child can sleep in an uncomfortable pack n play, but she does. All the joys of seeing family.

A couple days ago, I posted a question TT about if there was things you did parenting wise that your parents don't agree with. I said something about not ever doing my daughter's unruly hair. Then something else hit me last night, my mom wants MY daughter to sleep in HER bed when we are there. I always win, but it's something that irks me. I feel that a parents bed should be only for nightmares and sick children, not because we're on vacation and she should get a treat. The reason I say this is because my daughter picks up on bad habits, quicker than she should. Like getting to watch TV in the morning, or having her sippy of chocolate milk as soon as she wakes up. Include teddy grahams into that, and you've got a chocoholic monster. So, of course her sleeping in my mom's bed for two nights would result in us having a toddler overtaken our bed. No thanks. I like being able to cuddle up to my fiance'.

Speaking of, I don't know how many of YOU got back with your significant other AFTER you already had your child. It's extremely difficult. I'm sure there's moms who can relate. Being separated for 17 months and then jumping right back into the passenger seat is..an adventure. We're still figuring each other out WITH a child. What can I say? We like recipes for adventure!

Alright, I'm seriously going to stop rambling on and on and on about toddler terrors & SAHM.

I promise to blog while I'm in Georgia.

Mommy intro

Intro's totally aren't my thing, but since there'll probably be people I don't know reading this, I might as well do one. That way, I don't have to backstory on everything.


Let's see...

I'm a 21 year old SAHM (stay at home mom) to an almost 2 year old. I am engaged to the second love of my life, and his name is Andrew. Our daughter's name is Autumn and she is definitely a firecracker on wheels, no training wheels attached. We do plan on extending our family this year, so there'll probably be a lot of that. No, I am not going to go 50 Shades on you, just updates. ;)

I have been married before - for 6 short, sweet months. He was KIA in Afghanistan in 2009. Drowned trying to save a friend during a firefight. He was my best friend. I never thought I'd find another love like that. Until Andrew showed up. You see, Andrew & Brandon were best friends and I was friends with Andrew while I was married to Brandon. (I used to think Andrew was gay, until ya know, we created offspring together). So, long story short, we got drunk, made a baby, weren't together for 17 months and then the magical powers brought us back together. We rekindled things last May. Being with Andrew has helped me heal from Brandon, and being able to share stories of him is what keeps his memory alive.


Okay, enough mushy stuff.

Autumn was born on September 28, 2010 at 5:36 p.m. She was 8 lbs, 1 ounce & 21 inches long.
Oh, she came out screaming and trying to suck her thumb. Yeah, we got it kiddo, we know you're here. :p
Much hasn't changed since then except that she can walk, talk and throw huge hissy fits. But that's a toddler for ya. She's curly haired, blue/green eyed and has the cutest gap between her front teeth. She's friendly and sweet and loves to give hugs. Her favorite shows are Doc McStuffins and Phineas and Ferb and probably anything on NickJr. She loves popsicles, veggies, fruit, and hotdogs. Her favorite place is outside, and she's obsessed with stickers and coloring. Did I mention she's nothing but a huge bottle rocket of energy?


My views.

(These are my views. I don't care if you don't like them. I am entitled to them, just as you are. I have done plenty of research and made my OWN educated decision.)

Natural birth vs. Medicated birth:

I had an epidural and I now have back problems because of it. I didn't have an epidural PROPERLY placed in my spine until I was over 7 cm's dilated. I was able to enjoy her birth. Next go around, I definitely want a natural birth, or at least try again. I'm not for or against either one.


Breastfeeding:

I tried, I couldn't do it. Second baby, I want to extensively breast feed until they are at least 1.


Formula feeding:

I did it. I enjoyed it. But, I'm open to other routes.


Vaccinations:

We do all vaccinations, except for flu.



Circumcision:

I am not a male, I refuse to make this decision. Andrew is FOR circumcising. That is what we will do.
He has the genitals, not I.


Rear facing vs. Forward facing:

She RF'd until she was 1. I don't belive in ERF. If you do it, kudos. But I was happier and she was happier when she wasn't puking all over herself from being car sick.


CIO method:

We've used it. Especially when I know nothing is direly wrong with her. We didn't use it until she was almost 1. Until then, I felt she was too young.


Co-sleeping:

Um, no thanks. Not for me. I like my child to be in their own space, whether it be in a bassinet next to my bed or a toddler bed in her own room. I would rather know my child is safely sleeping alone with her blanket, than with the risk of me rolling over on her and suffocating her.


I think that's all the major things that have been floating around FB and the interwebs lately.

I also don't cloth diaper. I don't have the patience. She doesn't suck her thumb or have a pacifier. She quit on her own. I don't do the 'organic route'. I think that places me under the 'silky mama' category. I can't remember.

But anywho, that's my intro.

Here's some pics of my gorgeous baby.

19 months.

 20 months. 

21 months. <3