Ho Ho Ho

Merry CHRISTmas!



love,

Cornell, Jamie, and Makayla

Ruffle butt

Makayla's new favorite form of entertainment...sitting in the kitchen with mommy, a tupperware container, and a large plastic spoon.

Oh boy is it fun :)

Alright, don't judge me...but I just learned how to make ruffles while sewing.  Yes, I'm a pretty immature "sewer"(is that a word?) but I'm trying.  But now I want to put ruffles on EV-ER-Y-thing! haha...hand towels, shower curtain, bags, sweaters, etc.  Ruffles make everything cuter.  But for now, I'm just putting them on Makayla's onesies.  I love her little diaper butt with them!

My new favorite thing...

Has anyone tried these before??  I bought them a few months ago while browsing at our one and only store, Walmart.  Last weekend I decided to finally use them while trying to organize Makayla's closet.  She's wearing 6-9 month old clothes now and I still hadn't cleaned out all the newborn and 0-6 month clothing.  And it was ALOT. I was gonna give some away, but we're going to have more kids so I decided I better keep it.  Plus I don't think I can part with alot of the really cute outfits, is that weird?  I feel some sort of attachment to them.  Does that mean I'm a hoarder? Oh well...

Anyway, here's the finished product.

I was SO amazed at how much space these things save!! WOW!  I had 3 bags packed to the max with baby clothes, and then sucked out the air with our vacuum cleaner and the bag shriveled down to a flat package.  So instead of having 3 large totes of clothes stacked in a closet, I have 2.5 flat bags that I could neatly put under Makaylas crib.  I was pretty excited.

In fact, I'm gonna get more for our summer clothes and extra bedding.  They are reusable so you can open and close them as often as needed.

Oh the simple joys of organization.

:)



Laughing(and shreeking) at dad!

Our little pumpkin!

This is the extent of our Halloween celebration.   I baked cupcakes in Halloween colors! Oh yeah, and we have a pumpkin...but we didn't carve it.  I've never really been a big Halloween person, I thought it was fun when i was younger I guess. Still remember the halloween snow storm of 199?, Minnesota got TONS of snow and school was cancelled for days and days! 

I do admit though, Iwas feeling like an un-fun mom today, lots of our friends on facebook posted pictures of their little babies in super cute costumes!  All Makayla got to do is sit by a pumpkin! Haha.  Next year right!?

 

And I thought maybe I could get my baking skills back by making BOXED cupcakes and using PREMADE frosting? 

 oooooh, but don't be fooled. 

I didn't realize until after I had baked, frosted, decorated, and ate a cupcake that the box mix was expired which resulted in disgusting cupcakes.  Now really, I think my baking days are over.   

 Here's Makayla earlier this week.  Getting so big, and major losing her hair!  I'm curious what it will grow back like?  Since she was born, it has been soft like mine which I secretly hope it stays like :) I don't know how I will style it if it's more like Cornells texture! Oh and plus, since she doesn't look anything like me, at least let her have my hair please Lord?! LOL.  Today I showed a few pictures of Makayla to Cornell because in some of them I feel like I see something of myself in her facial features.  Not sure what, but something.  I asked what he thought, and he responds by saying..."Um not really in the face, but definitely the shoulders."

OMG? What? The shoulders?

I got a good laugh out of that one!

He thinks that Makayla will look more like him and if we have a little boy, he will like more like me.  Who knows!?

 I have to bring Makayla to the doctor tomorrow for a well baby check-up.  Last time we went she was 13.5 pounds.  She has definitely gained weight since then! I have a hard time carrying her car seat now!  She's getting those cute chubby baby thighs!

These pictures are from today after church.  Sorry for all the posing with the pumpkin, but it makes for a cute prop this time of year :) Plus she loves it!

SMILE!

Don't mind my super white skin.  I don't really have time to care until I see a picture of myself!

And finally, Makayla and her DA-DA-DA-DA-DA

So cute when she says it.  But I can't help and try hard for Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma!

Daddy's little honey

Yesterday I had The Little Mermaid on while playing with Makayla.  Cornell came in and watched a little bit of it.  After about 10 minutes, he goes "wow, watching this movie just makes me REALLY want to color."  hehe!



Our neighbor Wendy took a few photos of Makayla a couple weeks ago.  Once again, she wasn't very smiley.  She just kind of stares when I try and try to get her to smile.  She did smile a little bit though when she saw Wendy's son, Aiden.  She is just loving other little kids recently...it's pretty cute to watch her try and interact with them by talking and making her little noises.

One thing that can get Makayla to smile at a drop of a hat is her daddy.  She is SUCH a daddy's girl!  The other day, I was playing on the floor with her and Cornell came home.  As soon as he walked in the door, her arms started flapping, legs were kicking, and she snorted while breathing so fast because she was so excited! He didn't pick her up immediately, and she started whining/crying! HA! A little excited? One new thing she is doing is reaching her arms out for the person she wants.  It melts my heart when she does it to come TO ME, but if she has a choice between mommy and daddy...guess who she reaches those little arms for? Daddy! 

It's pretty darn cute to watch them together, he does goofy noises or tickles her and she just laughs and laughs.  If he smiles at her, she gives her BIG gummy smile right back to him.  Well one day, he kept tickling her and making her laugh but then had to leave for class.  So after he left, I decided to tickle her and play with her how he was, because, you know, I want her to laugh at me too.  I got no laughs. No smiles.  Just a look like, "Mom, what are you doing? Your not funny." 

My parents tell me how when I was little, I would refer to myself as "Daddy's little honey."  Looks like we now have the 2nd generation daddy's little honey...

Makayla is almost sitting up.  She is like the leaning tower of pisa(as you can tell in this picture)!  I couldn't help but take a few pictures of her in this beautiful fall weather we are having!

I feel like a different woman today.  Cornell is on fall break this week, so he was home this morning and could be with Makayla when she woke up, which means this mommy got to sleep from 3 am to 9:30 am! Wow, I felt so refreshed getting up today! It was WON-DER-FUL(it also helped that Cornell made us a nice huge, yummy breakfast).  Amazing what a little sleep can do!

This shrieking/squealing stuff that Makayla is doing...has-to-stop, PLEASE! It was kinda funny and cute the first couple times, but now it happens on a more consistent basis and it's driving mommy and daddy crazy.  I try putting her pacifier in her mouth, but she just pushes it out after a minute and continues on with the death shriek.  This stage passes quickly? Right?

I had to laugh last night at Cornell.  He and Makayla went to the Wednesday night service at church and I texted him from work to see how it was going...his response was "being naughty in church." Now usually Makayla is great in church.  She is quiet, just likes to look around, and usually just cuddles up on your chest/shoulder.  So I thought now what in the world can a 6 month old do in church to be naughty, especially Makayla? He said "she's bouncing and talking, and punching me too." LOL(she loves to jump up and down if you hold her waist and stand her on your lap, it's pretty cute cause she gets so excited and smiley).  Then he texts and says "she's trying to eat my lips and farting uncontrollably."
She always picks the best places to have gas.
hahaha.
He ended up having to go out of the sanctuary and just watch the sermon from one of the televisions.  That's what he gets for saying the day before, "I can't wait for her to be a toddler." LOL, don't think we are ready for that yet!

Good thing this little stinky butt is so cute.

So my other interesting topic of the week is my horrible baking skills. LOL. You all know my LOVE for baking. So I found this fun new recipe online for these chocolate-peanut butter-marshmellow-crispy-brownie bars.  Yum right?  To make a long story short, I wrecked the brownie part of the bar and got so upset that I started crying.
What?
Yes, crying from messed up brownies.  Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I also messed up 2 loaves of pumpkin bread the week before.  It is really like I've never baked before in my life!? I'm not sure what's going on with that.  Cornell suggested maybe our oven is the problem(what a great husband to find other things to blame except my skills).  Or maybe it's because I have been talking alot about trying to do some holiday baking for others this season and this is the Lord's way of telling me "it's not my plan for you right now Jamie."  Who knows? But thank goodness for Cornell, he still acts real excited to eat my baked goods and makes me feel better. :)

Minnesota trip pictures next time, I promise!! 

Thank you Baby Einstein...

...for entertaining my baby while I make dinner.

This picture makes me giggle.  She's so relaxed.

I sure love that little girl.

October ALreAdY??

Makayla is 6 months old today.  
Which makes her closer to turning 1. 
That means I've been a mom for half a year already...


So does this mean I have to put away my maternity pants?   
*sniffle sniffle*
boo
When does it really get too long to be wearing your maternity clothes? I only wear the pants just because I can't fit into my old jeans still.  I mean, I can at least pull them on now over my thighs and butt... and button the waist! yesssss!  But I still have quite a few pounds to lose before they will look like jeans and not jean-spandex.  Why is losing weight not fun and not fast?


So anyway, back to Makayla...6 months old! Yay! We are now giving her rice/oatmeal cereal and she is loving it.  Next week she can start baby food, I can't wait, she will LOVE it! She is a wonderful eater.  Although all the good eating, has given me a little constipated baby.  But that's a whole other post.


Here's a few new things I'm noticing from her: lots of adorable smiles when she notices people she knows(especially mommy and daddy), caution around new places/faces, LOTS of fun playing for longer periods of time in her Baby Einstein toys, wants to grab ev-er-y-thing that is near, does this stomach pump thing like she is trying to dance, can hold herself up by herself in her toys too(no more blanket wrapped around her waist), likes to screech and very loudly when excited or wants someone to pay attention, continues to LOVE her changing table, drinking 8 oz at a time, good sleeper, trys to jump/bounce with her legs, very good at rolling over and then back.


Makayla and I just got back home from a trip to Minnesota.  It was wonderful of course and got to spend time with friends and family.  I will blog about that trip next time.  Here are a few pictures that Kim, my wedding photographer and good friend of my cousin Meg, was so nice to take while we were home.  I think these are the only 2 smiley shots from the whole session...

Don't let that cute face fool ya, she was not in a good mood that night! But I love these! Kim is so so so talented and always has gorgeous pictures!

Okay, more on the trip and wedding next time!

This is Makayla yesterday after her first college football game!

Lindsey Wilson College has a football team this year. We wanted to be supportive so we went with our neighbors, and it was such a fun afternoon! Only problem was I got so so so sunburnt! I'm talking the lobster look, seriously, it's painful and embarrassing...this Minnesota girl didn't even think twice to put sunscreen on in September!? And I hate not being able to put it on Makayla(doctor says no sunscreen until she is 6 months old). Good thing she doesn't have my skin!

Cornell is off of school on Monday, so we decided to take a little trip to BG, aka the nearest "real" city for us, aka Bowling Green. It has a Target, a mall, and a TJ Maxx! Doesn't get much better! Although the real reason for going was to pick up my dress for Sarah Herricks' wedding! Yay!

But let me tell you, I have never felt so much like a mom as I did today....

• First, I am in TJ Maxx trying to browse around but keep Makayla entertained at the same time. To do this,of course, I have to make silly noises and faces so she laughs. It's amazing how you really don't care what you do in public anymore, just as long as your baby isn't crying and is happy.
• Next was lunch at Panera bread. I am still not all the way comfortable breastfeeding in public, but who knows if I ever will be. Makayla loves to eat so once she is in the cradle position with me, she gets really excited and starts kicking her legs and waving her arms cause she knows what is about to happen. So try having a "hooter hider"(thanks Kari Shak) on, a wild baby flapping their arms and legs underneath it, lifting up your shirt, un-clasping your nursing bra, and all while trying to NOT show the world your enire boob. I don't think anyone saw anything. So after she's done eating, I'm burping her and she burps, but up came ALL the milk she just ate too...ALL OVER ME! All over my arm, shirt, and skirt. Plus all over her outfit too. Normally I would just wipe her up and keep it moving but she was like saturated in spit up. Of course no extra outfit in my diaper bag today, just a zip up hoodie. So I took off her little dress, and she left Panera wearing her little white tights and a hoodie.
• Then we head to the mall, and Makayla and I go to Gymboree. (FYI... We had given her an UNopened bag of chips from lunch to play with since they make so much noise and are great entertainment for a baby..anything that isn't a toy is). Makayla decides that Gymboree is a great place to just let loose and pass some gas. Not just a little gas...sounded like there were firecrackers in her car seat. Loud enough for the moms standing around us, to all stop, and look over at me and stare. I didn't know what to do, so I smile and say "oh my MAA-kayla, excuse you!" One mom must have felt bad for me because she said, "don't worry, I understand, I have a baby too."

Time to go home.

We leave and I see my reflection in the glass...my hair is pulled back in a claw clip but hair has fallen out all over and is hanging in my face, I have big white patches of dry baby spit up on my chest and down my black skirt, I smell like vomit, no purse because our stroller and diaper bag now carry my belongings too, I'm the color of a tomato except for my snow white colored legs, and my baby has no pants on, holding a bag of chips? Is this what I have become?

haha. Wow.

Of course, Cornell is at our side looking handsome as ever!

haha.

But I wouldn't change any of it for the world.

*Smiley Makayla*

Hey, hey you!

What are you doing?

I just can't hold it in any longer....

I think I'm about to show you my gums...

...aka, SMILE!!!

Can being a mommy seriously get any better than this? There is nothing like a big old gummy smile from your baby! Just makes your heart melt!

Makayla is just so fun to be around, she's a pretty happy baby all around. I find myself thinking, "Can I just stop time at this stage, I don't want to miss something." She laughs, giggles, talks jibberish, makes noise just to make noise, recognizes our voices, rolls over and holds her head up so strong, and loves to try and grab our food/drink as we eat thinking that she wants some. Also, she wants to grab or touch everything in her reach whether it be a toy, a face, a hand, or whatever! Yesterday I was holding her and standing in her closet trying to pick out her outfit...well she look her long little arm and was grabbing the door and pulling it in so it was bumping me in the back! I mean, how fun can a door be? LOL, she's just so curious! Cornell and I like to think we have her cries figured out too...the hungry cry, the sleepy cry, the I just want to be held cry, the wet diaper cry, etc.

Next week she'll be 5 months. I'm getting really excited to start feeding her some baby food because I think she'll really enjoy it! The girl loves to eat! Breastfeeding is continuing to go well. I remember when I first started breastfeeding, and different moms would tell me what a great bonding experience it is and how much they enjoyed spending that time with their baby. Well, I'll be honest...I didn't find it very fun for the first couple months! I felt like I would spend about 90% of my day breastfeeding and it's just exhausting. Especially since Makayla was one of those, "my mom makes a great pacifier" babies. She would just take her sweet old time, maybe take a little nap if she felt like it...haha. Much better the past month or so....she gets right to the point and finishes in no time! And it really is a great bonding experience for us both, I love spendng that time with her. :)

Cornell started school last week...where did the summer go? I'm so excited for him though, this is his last semester and will graduate December 11. Yay!! But now that means he is busy busy busy with basketball too. I started a new job...i'm working as a nurse at Amazon.com. There is a fulfillment center about 15 minutes from us and its an evening/night shift. I love it so far, much better than my last job in the OR. And I was just freaking out about putting Makayla in daycare for such a long part of the day, 5 days a week. So this way, i am home during the day with her, and then when i'm leaving, Cornell is coming home to be with her all evening. We will need a little help when Cornell has bb practice but I like 2 hours of someone watching Makayla versus 9-10 hours. God just continues to be so faithful to us...

We have a computer now again so I will be updating more :)

Just my two favorite people...

Enjoying family time today! Happy saturday!

Our sweetie

Here's a few of my favorite pictures from my phone over the last month....

Watching baby Einstein for the first time...

So smiley on the 4th of July...

And blowing some spit bubbles! :)

Just hanging in her stroller...

Three months old and a video

Hello my friends! A little Makayla update...
She is changing on a daily basis. It continues to amaze both Cornell and I how fast she grows! She went to the doctor on July 7th....weighed 12.04 pounds and was 25.5 inches long( off the charts in length for her age)! She has blessed us with the gift of sleeping through the night for the past few weeks(since fathers day weekend) and it is WONDERFUL!! Sleep is a beautiful thing!
Makayla has also discovered that she has hands WITH fingers, wow so cool right?! She'll make a fist and just told her hands out in front of her and stare and stare, while really concentrating. It's adorable. Last week she started trying to roll over. She gets her legs and hips flipped over but gets stuck with her shoulders. Not strong enough yet :)
Things she loves right now....going for walks in her stroller, pacifier, getting swaddled at night, fisher price projector, sleeping on daddys chest, bath time, mommy or daddy holding her, and last but not least....breastfeeding!!! Definitely her favorite activity :)
Here's a little video of Cornell and Makayla...

Happy Birthday dad!

Makayla Grace Thomas

Alright, prepare to be baby overloaded!
I'm finally putting up pictures of Makayla...yesterday was her one month "birthday!" Seriously, where does the time go? I have always heard other mommys say how fast children grow up, but it isn't realistic until you have one of your own...she changes DAILY! I'm already dreading going back to work because I don't want to miss a thing!
Today was Makayla's one month check up...the stats are(just so I don't forget), 9 pounds 3.7 ounces and 21 and 3/4 inches long. Growing little girl. Now to the pictures(mom, dad, meg, and kel...don't get excited, you've seen all of these!)

1. This is right after she was born, she was maybe 1 hour old...

(I couldn't stop saying, "Look at her hair!!!")

2. One day old in the hospital

3. Home

4. I have sooo wanted a picture of our black and white hands holding her since I found out I was pregnant...didn't really turn out how I imagined but how do you seriously pose a newborn?!


5. Next to daddy's shoe...

6. First bath(was not a big fan!)

7. I think she's a little over 2 weeks old here...

8. Just checking things out, getting more alert last week...


9. How about that belly? ;)



10. And today after our bath time and before the doctors...

She seriously has the most perfect skin! I will look like a fluorescent light bulb in our family for the rest of my life! LOL...

Happy Mothers Day to all the mommys! I feel so blessed to be celebrating my first! :)

Catching up...

Wow! Where do I even begin? How do you recap the past 6-7 months of life when so much has changed?!

I really wish I would have been better about blogging during my pregnancy, that would be fun to go back and read now! Heres a few belly pics that I took to be sending Cornell while he was in Kentucky for school....

14 weeks

16 weeks

21 weeks

This was sometime in November(18-20 weeks) at my old job with my friend Erin....

22 weeks

22 weeks

23 weeks(Christmas time)

Then after Christmas, I finally got to move to be with Cornell in Kentucky. It was so so so hard the months before this to be pregnant and away from him. I drove to see him pretty frequently but the 8 hour drive got old, quick! To make a long story short...I got a job in an operating room in a nearby city, we found an apartment to rent, moved only the necessary items out here, and rented out our home(sniffle). We both miss Charlotte so much but will go back after this "season" in Kentucky! :)
These next photos are from my parents visit here in February. They came to watch a few of Cornells games and also helped set up the baby nursery!

31 weeks

"Pregnant" Cornell

After these photos I didn't allow anymore pictures to be taken of me! LOL...I got sooooo big I hardly recognized myself in the mirror! Especially at the end because I developed preeclampsia and was so swollen everywhere. I ended up being put on bedrest at the end of March(with only about 2 weeks to go til my due date)to help with the swelling. A few days later my doctor decided I needed to be induced. So on April 6th, after about 13 hours of labor, our sweet little girl was born. She is the most precious thing I have ever seen and I love being a mommy! I will post pictures of her next time!