Friday, January 27, 2012

Weekly Meals!




I'm on a blogging roll today, haha. Motivation has struck me in many areas of my life. Finally! 

I think I'm going to start posting our weekly menu on here for you all to see and find the recipes! I'm constantly talking about cooking, but I have a terrible habit of actually posting what I'm making along with the recipes and if you're anything like me... you are CONSTANTLY looking for new stuff to try with your family! My portions will be a little smaller for some of you with large families since there's really just the two of us eating dinners right now, but you'll know to adjust I am sure! :) 

I would like to do this the week AFTER I make items so you know what we had for dinner each day and that way I can post a recipe and a review of the meal. What do you think? But I'll fill you in on what we're having for dinner this week and I'll just come back next Friday and fill in the blanks!

Monday 1/30: Baked Spaghetti and Salads
Tuesday 1/31: Chicken Quesadillas and Mexican Rice
Wednesday 2/1: Rice Bowls
Thursday 2/2: Flavored Yogurt Pancakes
Friday 2/3: Leftovers
Saturday 2/4: Eat out

Hopefully you'll join me in sharing your weekly meals and we can make this something exciting! :) Go ahead and list your link so we can share!

Co-Sleeping




I'll be honest.
I cannot get out of the habit of letting Tayler co-sleep with us. Everyone has always told us not to do it because they do not think that it's safe, because it will create a bad habit, because Ethan and I will lose out on intimate time.. There are a multiple number of reasons why there are individuals that do not believe in this. And I completely see where they are coming from. 

However, we have co-slept with Tayler since she was born. Not EVERY night. There are some nights where she was sleeping peacefully in my arms and I laid her down in her crib and she slept her little heart away. But you know what? Some nights, I am completely worn out and Tayler is not asleep yet. 

And there comes the beauty of Cry It Out. I know that it absolutely, positively works for some parents and that is great! If you are able to do that and your child self-soothes and sleeps through the night, I give you major props. I just can't bring myself to do it. I hate hearing her cry. I tried CIO for like 3 nights and it was too much for me. 

So, we (meaning Ethan and myself) find it easier if Tayler just sleeps with us. We were blessed with a big bed.. we don't even feel her most of the night, but it's nice because she's right there beside of us. She sleeps good with us.
 
Like I said. We don't co-sleep every night. Sometimes she'll fall asleep downstairs watching a movie and I'll carry her up to her bed and she sleeps in there until she wakes up for a bottle (and I know if she didn't wake up for a bottle at 4AM, she would sleep all night in there.) She loves her bed. But she loves sleeping with us too.

Honestly, it hasn't created any problems with us. We still have our 'alone time' and we don't feel like she 'takes over the bed.' Of course, when the next baby comes along, then what? Do we let that baby sleep with us AND Tayler? Will we be confusing her to make her start sleeping in her own bed? We figured we she understands that 'You MUST sleep in your bed means you MUST sleep in your own bed...' then she'll start doing it. Right now, I just enjoy her being next to me. She'll be 17 one day and think I'm the weirdest person on earth. She probably won't even want to ride in a car with me, let alone sleep next to me. So, I'm enjoying that time while I have it. But am I confusing her?

Seriously. I knew parenting was full of decisions, but I didn't know this many. I am always worried that I'm making the wrong decision. And I worry WAY too much about what people think about how we parent. In the back of my head I'm thinking, 'What will people say about this? Are they going to talk about me or it behind my back? Will they think I'm a bad parent?' It's tough. I need to thicken my skin up though and know that I'm doing what is best for us... and Tayler. But I'm still wishy-washy on that. I enjoy doing 'our own thing' but I also worry about the future and the consequences of actions.


Do any of you out there practice CO-SLEEPING or have practiced co-sleeping? How old did you co-sleep with your child? When did you stop co-sleeping with your child?

Visit Top Mommy Blogs To Vote For Me!And please, I'm not trying to be rude, but no negativity about all of this. I'm asking for opinions, obviously, but lets be adult about those opinions. Nothing downgrading. Thank you!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Just a Catch Up!



Yes, it does feel like I have fallen off the face of the earth, haha! I don't know why I feel so behind in every area of my life! I haven't baby sat all week (well, until today), but I seriously am SO behind. I have yet to make the grocery list (making a mental note as we speak) and I have not cleaned the house this week! TOMORROW IT IS. :) So, what's new in our neck of the woods??
 
Well, would you believe that Tayler is 43 weeks old today? Yes... 9 weeks until her first birthday party... which has been taking a lot of my 'mental' time! It's all I have been thinking about. Well, that and having another baby... but we'll leave that for another blog, haha! The theme is going to be 'Yo Gabba Gabba' and I think it's going to be just adorable! I am so excited! 
Speaking of today... it's my mom's birthday! So if all of my lovely readers out there could wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY that would be incredible. She keeps telling everyone she's '29' so we'll just go with that (even though I'm almost 25..... oops, sorry Mom!)

We are getting CENTRAL AIR! They are coming to install everything tomorrow. That's what it's called right? Install? Regardless... I couldn't be more excited! I wasn't looking forward to having to go out and buy new air conditioners. Plus, it's our first summer in a new house, so we don't even know how warm/cool it will get! Guess we'll see now.. and be prepared! YAY!

I'm still watching all of the usual TV shows, just haven't really blogged about them. American Idol is back on and you best believe I'll have full blown blogs about that once it really gets started! I'm loving all of the auditions though. I swear, that's my favorite part!

I think that about covers everything on our end. How about y'all? What's keeping you busy here lately? :)





August 13th Journal Prompt: Anger.

 The journal prompt of the day is: How do you deal with your anger? I bottle a lot of my emotions up inside. If I feel anger- it may show on...