My Brother, My Hero, My Marine!!!

Avonlea and I are back from going with the family to South Carolina to pick up our new Marine!!  I could rattle on about long car rides and small irritations that come along with being around family for long periods of time...but we all survived each other and Travis survived boot camp.  All is well.  

Here's a shot of Avonlea and her Uncle Travis on family day at MCRD Parris Island, she's looking super cute in her camo tutu, camo flower bow and USMC shirt and he's giving a small smile for me (evidently Marines are instructed not to smile while in their Marine Corps uniforms).  This was right after the Drill Instructors released the 554 new Marines to join their families for 5 hours of liberty.  It was pandemonium.  We, like the rest of the family and friends were scrambling to find our Marine among the sea of camouflage.  My youngest brother, Clint, found Travis first and ran into his embrace for the first time in 3 months.  I found them seconds later and I can't tell you how much it warmed my heart to see my two younger brothers hugging tight, tears streaming down both of their faces.  I wish I had a picture of that.  However, I was too distracted, waiting my turn to hug my brother.  

Family day was a blur.  Travis, or shall I say Pvt. Miller, wanted to show us everything he could basic training from standing here on the "yellow footprints" as he got off the greyhound and in the early hours of the morning Tuesday, December 13, 2011... 

...to Sunday, March 4th, 2012, when he received his Eagle, Globe and Anchor emblem, the moment that he transitioned from recruit to Marine. 

He told us of the 13 weeks of grueling physical training, the screaming Drill Instructors, the Corps Ethics and Values classes, and much much more.  However, he did not have to explain to us about the awful sand flea problem on the island...we got to experience that first hand.  Together we visited the Parris Island Marine Corps museum, toured his squad-bay where his platoon lived for 13 weeks, and ate at the on-base Subway.     It was a nice day, sans the sand fleas.

I can't describe how proud I am of my brother.  Only 2 years and 6 months apart, Travis and I are close enough in age to have been each others childhood playmate and worst enemy as teens.  We've been through a lot together.  I hope now this renewed pride I feel to be his sister will draw us even closer. 

We got back to Kentucky and it was time for parties.  Everyone wanted to see the man in uniform!

(Not the most flattering picture, but there were like 5 cameras going off at once so what can you expect? :) )

We have him back, though not for long.  Already I'm anxious.  He gets on another bus in Lexington on Monday evening to go to Camp Geiger, North Carolina for Marine Combat Training and training for his occupation within the Marines.  At least this time, he'll have his cell phone and will have much more freedom than while at basic training.  It will be nice to speak to my brother rather than anxiously waiting on the mailman to bring a letter.  

I have renewed respect for all you military families out there.  Thank you for your soldiers and your patience and prayers as they protect our country, whether at home or abroad.  

Congratulations to the fellow members of 3rd Battalion Mike Company - especially platoon 3021 - as well as the members of 4th Battalion November Company.

Happy Mothering!

Mommy Moments: She's growing so fast and we've been so busy!

Wow.  I thought I knew what it meant to be busy.  I recall very well the feeling I had the last few weeks before my wedding...all the many things that needed to be done...so many things I thought I'd rip my hair out.  Or the feeling of urgency, the dread of the week of semester finals in college.  Yeah, I thought I knew then, but my goodness...it feels like I am busy from the time I wake up until the time I go to sleep.  Avonlea is nearly 9 months old and on the verge of crawling...she's getting very good at scooting herself around on her belly...PLUS she is cutting more teeth and that just stinks in general.  On top of that I have been preparing for Avonlea and I to go to Parris Island, SC this week.  One of my brothers is graduating from Marine basic training and we are going down with my mom, youngest brother and a few friends to tour the base and watch him graduate.  I am excited to go.  I dread going.  Traveling with Avonlea has proved to be a challenge since the day she came home from the hospital.  She has seemed to improve lately but who knows if that will be the case during a 12 hour car ride.  Maybe it will be like a vacation for me...she will be so busy with Mimi and Uncle Clint around to entertain her that she won't have time to cry.  Here's to hoping!  On the bright side, she has THE CUTEST outfits to where for Uncle Travis's family day and graduation.  So even if we're exhausted she'll be impeccably dressed!  All for now, more soon.

Happy Mothering!

Unforeseen Intermission

So...been away for about 3 weeks.  Both computers (ancient laptops purchased the summer after high school graduation) have been pretty much shot and now we have a desk top...which had some problems at first but now seems to be doing well...anyway.  Lots of things to write.  I am still here...will still be part of the blog world.  Hopefully now that the computer situation has been rectified, there won't be any more intermissions...at least not any that last this long.  Upcoming posts include my first book review for Waterbrook Multnomah publishing group and the plans for an upcoming trip that Avonlea and I will be taking.  Thank for holding on. :)

For now, check out an awesome blog I have been following for about a month.  I love the way this mom ministers to her family and community.  Be sure to check out her recipe index.  I've tried 7 or 8 of her recipes already and they are amazing!  http://momonamission.me/

Happy Mothering!

Update on Sleep Training

I'm proud of my little girl.  No, she hasn't continued to sleep all night...I think we had 3 nights in a row of sleeping all night.  Now she is back to her usual waking twice a night to eat.  SO...it could be going better.  BUT I must say, she does very well going to sleep on her own at bedtime.  Just a few weeks ago when we started sleep training, she would cry at least 20-30 minutes before finally going to sleep.  Now we are down to 5 minutes or less.  Most of the time less...

     As happy as I am about her progress, I can't express how nice it was to sleep a full night through; how much I wish that she would decide she wants to sleep through the night from here on.  But it doesn't help that her top two front teeth are trying to come through AND that she is beginning to roll over in her sleep.  She woke up screaming a few mornings ago.  I guess she was scared because she woke up on her stomach and was unsure how to right herself.  

     Anyway, I'm tired.  To top things off, I missed my show tonight because of the Super Bowl and stayed up late to watch it when it came on the second time.  But it's really the only show I care much to watch with any regularity and is something actually worth watching, unlike so much of the garbage on television these days.  It's called Downton Abbey.  I think you can watch it all on pbs.org.  If you haven't heard of it, you should check it out.  It's good.  Now it's over and it's bedtime for me, even if baby girl will probably wake up soon...

Happy Mothering!

Mommy Rule #2 DO try making your own babyfood

It's easy and it saves money.  Any mom who has ever bought commercial baby food for her child knows how expensive it can be.  Even if you buy the cheapest brand on the market, you will still pay 45 to 70 cents a jar depending on how old your child is and what stage of baby food they eat.  That doesn't seem like a lot of money but my tiny little girl eats an astounding amount for her size...AND when you compare it to the yield of a batch of baby food you make yourself and what it cost you...it is so much less expensive to make your own, hands down.

     Personally, I have taken this approach:  I purchase jarred baby food to pack with us when we are not at home during a mealtime - when Avonlea is in the nursery at church, days when I run errands, etc.  When we are at home, most of the time I use baby food that I have made myself.

     I really enjoy being able to control consistency of the food my daughter eats.  Despite the age recommendations on baby food, my daughter seems to desire foods that are one step ahead in texture.  Right now, she should be eating Stage 2 foods if I went by her age.  However, Avonlea seems to get frustrated when food is too thin.  She has two teeth now and more on the way and she enjoys the chunky pudding like consistency of Stage 3 foods. Even if your child seems to be right on with her age appropriate food or even likes their food thinner, this is not a problem when you make your own baby food.  I use a Black and Decker Food Processor that looks something like this...

  ...You get the idea.  With this little baby that you can purchase at most stores like Wal-Mart, Target, Lowe's, etc. for about $40, you can make purees as thick, thin, chunky or fine as you want.

     In addition, when you make your own babyfood, you can control exactly what your baby is eating.  You can also decide how you cook that food.  I bake, steam or simmer(in very little water).  I do not boil any of the babyfood I make because boiling leaches nutrients from fruits and vegetables.

     Anyway, when foods are cooked through I place them in my food processor and turn it on.  In about 10 seconds you can have a chunkier puree or you can add a bit of water or juice (if you're making a fruit puree) and let it go for 30-45 seconds for a very thin and fine puree.  After the processor has worked its magic, I spoon the puree into ice cube trays and freeze.  When the puree is frozen, I label a freezer bag and pop the babyfood cubes out and place them in the bag.  Back they go to the freezer where you can store them for months...but it doesn't last long at my house.

     Lastly, I enjoy being able to make different combinations of babyfood and also the ability to "camouflage" foods that Avonlea dislikes.  She does not enjoy carrots but she eats them eagerly, albeit unknowingly, mixed in with apples.  Usually we go 2 to 1, apples to carrots.  And, while carrots are really the only food that she simply refuses to eat on their own, she isn't crazy about a few other things...like pureed steamed cauliflower.  I don't blame her, I'm not much on it either...but I hide it in other things.  And like me, I'm sure she will be more than happy to eat that cauliflower when mixed in with some mashed potatoes. Yum!

     I think tomorrow will be another babyfood making day.  Got to make something green.  Av's been eating a lot of yellow and orange veggies lately, and as a result her nose is beginning to appear a bit orange.  But as I have explained, making babyfood is very easy when you have just a few helpful tools and just a few spare minutes. So...making up some green veggies will be a snap and then I'll be on the way to getting her nose back to it's original color! ;)

Happy Mothering!

Mommy Moment #2: Avonlea FINALLY sleeps all night!!

This was huge for us!  I mean tremendously huge...  Since the day Avonlea was born there has never been a night when she has slept from the time she went to bed until the time she was ready to get up for the day...until last night.  I have never, NEVER had more than 5 MAYBE 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep since a month or two before Avonlea was born (pregnancy discomfort).  She's always been up to nurse at least once but most of the time twice a night.  It has been getting old...

Finally getting around to finishing this post.  So far Avonlea has slept through the night for three nights in a row. She is napping now...going on an hour and a half which is a record for her.  I am one proud and well rested (at last) mommy!

Brief Intermission

I am working on several new posts...adding to them whenever I have a spare moment.  I am still here...just a little busy the past few days.  Today was grocery day.  I had a relatively simple list today and every intention to get it done early this morning...but sleep training is throwing a bit of a wrench into things.  Avonlea is getting better...crying less and less each time...but she hasn't been getting up as early as she normally does.  I'm sure all mom's would agree that trying to get your kids up and running on less than adequate sleep often means a stressful day ahead.  My point is...baby girl slept in today...grocery trip postponed till afternoon...grocery store was crazy busy...aggravation...etc.

Mommy Moment #1 Baby Girl Feeds Herself

I've been so excited to share this moment for the last few days but the internet has been acting weird here :(.  So, Logan and I both had a birthday over the weekend and as per tradition, my mom takes us out to eat for our birthday at the restaurant of our choice.  This year we picked the new Logan's Roadhouse in town. 

    Avonlea can finally sit in a high chair at restaurants as long as we tuck blankets in the sides to help her keep her balance.  It was about time for her to have an afternoon snack anyway so I got out her little baby cereal puffs and put a few out for her to attempt to pick up while I fed her a few.  I've been trying to work with her on the pincer grasp so she would be able to feed herself finger foods but up until then, she'd been able to pick up one but not been able to get it to her mouth on her own.  

     After a little help from Mommy and a few tries on her own, Avonlea managed to get a cereal puff into her mouth.  People in the restaurant probably thought I was nuts and it may not seem like a big deal to anyone else...but when your child does something new on their own it is very exciting, especially when you know they have been trying so hard for so long to accomplish it.  It is also a tiny bit sad, because it is a reminder that my baby is growing up.  

     Baby girl is getting restless....time for snuggling and her morning nap ;)

Happy Mothering!  

Mommy Rule #1 Start Sleep Training Early

FYI: Mommy Rules are not in a particular order...

...although this one is pretty important.  As I type, I hear the horrid sound of my 7 month old screaming her head off in her crib.  Yes, it's awful to listen to and makes me feel like a bad mom but it is necessary and I keep reminding myself that this is for her benefit.  Already, I have rocked her for a half hour and Logan took a turn as well before we laid our obviously exhausted Avonlea in her crib*.  Now we're waiting to hear silence coming through the baby monitor.
     Up until just a few weeks ago, Avonlea's bedtime routine was simple: Bath, Jammies, Swaddle, Nurse, Rock, Sleep. This has always worked beautifully for us, with very few exceptions...  Now, when she finishes nursing she stares up at me and cries.  I continue to rock and sing and she keeps right on crying with increasing intensity.  
     I suppose Logan and I could keep taking turns rocking her until she finally gives it up, but both of us agree that it is nice to have a little time after she's went to bed to reconnect, talk about our day and maybe work on a crossword.  Plus, I would like to get some sleep...and it doesn't really matter if she's been asleep since 8:30 or 11:30, I can expect Avonlea to wake up to nurse between 2-3am and then again at 6-6:30.  So we've decided that if she isn't asleep after a reasonable amount of rocking and singing (usually about 15 minutes), we lay her down in her crib and let her "cry it out."
     I suppose my point here is to not just suggest but beg you to start training your child to go to sleep on their own earlier than I have.  Avonlea can fight sleep a lot longer now at 7 months than she could at3 months.  For your own sanity's sake, just get it over with.

Happy Mothering!


*Tonight was not a normal night here in the Stewart home.  My mother stayed with Avonlea this evening while Logan and I went out for dinner and did some shopping.  It was past her bed time when we got home, but when I return after being gone for several hours she always wakes up to nurse...without fail.  As a result of our absence, we were a little more generous with our rocking time.

Origin of the Mommy Rules

Today is my 24th birthday.   To celebrate, I said "Farewell!" to Facebook, and, after much encouragement from my husband, said "Hello!" to the blogosphere.  What time I spend online, I want to be focused on what is really important to me.  I spent four years at university for a degree in social studies education and one year working in the public school system before having my first child, Avonlea.  They were great, and I loved what I was doing.  But as philosophic as it sounds, when my daughter was born and I became a mom, I feel like I finally found myself--the person God made me to be.

I titled this blog "Mommy Rules!" for two purposes:

1. Being a Mommy "rules."  It is the hardest work I have ever done, but I have never loved anything so much.  Through "Mommy Moments" I will share the ups and downs of my own motherhood experience.

2. Pregnancy and motherhood has taught me a lot.  No matter how prepared you think you are or aren't; you learn as you go, plain and simple.  However, various experiences have inspired me to compile a list of personal do's and don'ts that others may find useful and hopefully comical at times.  "Mommy Rules" are my anecdotes about these do's and don'ts.  

    From time to time I may also share my opinion on children's books I've read to Avonlea as well as some products we have tried.  And for those of you out there wondering, you may just find here that no, you are not alone...it happened to me, too!

Happy Mothering!