Exciting News!

Incase you didn't get the memo I am here to tell you that Rayce is going to be a BIG BROTHER! In turn I decided to start a new blog to have everything in one place. If you would please join us over there. Hurry on over you've already missed a lot.

lalasnest.blogspot.com

See you there!

Haircut!

Whew! We have been so busy lately. I hardly have a second to blog anymore.

We took Rayce for a haircut last week because it was out of control with all this humidity lately. He needed it bad! It was bitter sweet. I almost had to excuse myself to go cry outside. My baby instantly looked like a little boy. Then when she started cutting his baby curls I got so teary eyed. Why do they have to grow up? Can't he just stay my baby forever? He's growing up too quick.


Before


After

Isn't he so handsome? I think he gets his good looks from his mom. ;)

Potty Training time!

I think it’s time for pee-pee in the potty! Within the last week Rayce has been bringing me his diaper and wipes when he wants to be changed. LOL! He’s such a cleaver little guy. I think if I get on this potty thing right away, while he starting to show signs, I might actually see some results. Oy, wish me luck because I have never done this before. Only time will tell...

Saturday Social

Have you seen any good movies lately?

What a great question! I haven't participated in Saturday Social in awhile but I saw a really good movie the other night so I had to jump in on this question. Ray and I have been trying to have a movie night together (at home) once a week so we have seen a few good movies lately. The other night we rented Gone Baby Gone with Morgan Freeman. Oh my it was good! It kept me on the edge of my seat and that is the kind of movie I like. If it doesn't grab me in the first 10 minutes, you might as well for get it. I will get up and start doing things. LOL! Another good movie I saw was recently was The Bucket List. Again, Morgan Freeman he is such a good actor. Those are the first two that come to mind. I've been into movies lately so who knows I might think of a few more. ;)

Visit the lovely Lisa if you'd like to participate in Saturday Social or click here for all the rules and details!

Happy Socializing!

18 months old + photo shoot!

Wow, what a year and a half it has been! I could not be more blessed with the way things have turned out. Rayce has been a complete joy from the start. Sure he keeps me on my toes but I love every minute of it. I miss my once squishy, cuddly baby but he has grown into quite a character with a spunky personality. I absolutely adore him and I can’t believe how fast he is growing up.

One of our neighbors said to Ray the other day…”wow your baby is walking already?” Ray politely responded oh yea! Then she proceeded with “it’s seems just like yesterday when you had that it’s a boy sign in your front yard!” I instantly got teary just thinking of the day we brought him home and what an awesome feeling it was to be new parents.

I know I say it all the time, how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family but I say it all the time because I mean it. Life is good and I'm right where I've always wanted to be!

Happy 1 and ½ years on this earth Rayce! I cannot wait for many more…

Summer time!

Whoa! It’s been awhile hasn’t it? I still am trying to get into the hang of things again after having my wisdom teeth out. I still feel real tired and just downright groggy but things are slowly improving. I have an appointment tomorrow to get my stitches out. I’m hoping all goes well.

Rayce is as busy as ever. He loves to open anything and everything and as a result I feel our whole house is taped up! He’s so curious it’s amazing. Also he’s starting to become more verbal. We’re hoping one of these days he will just take off with his talking. Still no “real” words yet but I know he has it in him. In due time, I guess.

Not much else is really happening. Just enjoying the summer weather and trying to stay cool. Rayce loves the water! I think we have a fish on our hands. I hope all is well in your neck of the woods!

Hugs,

He's come a long way!

There was a point in time when Rayce saw someone other than mommy or daddy he would instantly become hysterical. I’m not talking cry for a minute and get over it hysterical, I’m talking hold his breath, turn purple, on the verge of need a paper bag kind of hysterical. It was bad and for awhile it made it really hard to go anywhere, but gone are those days. I’m so happy with my big boy Rayce; today he stayed with Grandpa Ray for four hours while mommy got her wisdom teeth out. They had a great time together and I didn’t get any frantic phone calls advising me that I needed to come home. It was nice for a change. I think I could get use to this idea! :)

Clapping, Pointing, Waving

Finally, yes! At 17 months old I'm pleased to announce that Rayce is doing all the above. This may not seem like a big deal to some but if you have read some of my previous posts you know this has been a concern of mine for some time. At 9 months old I started to notice that Rayce was a little behind in some areas (mainly fine motor skills) and as time when on I got more and more concerned.

Ray and I have been working non-stop with him and it's nice to finally see results. He has been waving for a few months now. He loves to go bye-bye so whenever he hears "that word" he will wave. I wanted to be able to go to his 18 month check-up with a good report and this is definitely a step in the right direction. I knew he had it in him, I couldn't be more thrilled. :)

Father's Day

Wow what a year it has been! Over the past year I have seen Ray grow so much as a dad. I get all teary just thinking about it. I couldn't ask for a better father for Rayce. I can honestly say Rayce is blessed to have Ray as his dad. He gives Rayce all the love and attention he needs it is truly amazing.

I wanted this year to be extra special for Ray, mainly because of all the sacrifices he has made for us this past year. So I let him decide what he wanted to do with his day. He wanted to go to breakfast together as a family and so we were all up and out of the door by 9:30**AM. The remainder of the day we spent with his dad which was really nice.

I wrote Ray a letter this year just to let him know what an awesome dad he is. I won't share it here but overall I think Ray had a fabulous day. Happy Father's Day daddy! I hope you know how much we love you.




**For those who know me real well know what a shocker that is in itself!

My crazy toddler

The shenanigans this kid gets himself into is beyond me. This morning he somehow managed to get his tag stuck on a dresser drawer. All of the sudden he starting squealing, (which is nothing new) a kind I hadn't heard in awhile so, I quickly went to see what was going on and I found this...


How he got it caught on there is puzzling and the only way to break it free was to cut it. Go ahead see it for yourself! I couldn’t help but laugh and of course I had to take a picture. Every day is a new adventure with this kid, it’s truly amazing!

Big boy bath

After almost 17 months of life Rayce has graduated to the big boy bath. I know, I know you're thinking, why so long? The truth is I was secretly afraid of him drowning it was more convenient for me. But do not fear the big boy bath is here…to stay! Rayce loves it and I can no longer deprive him of such fun. This just means one step closer to big boy-ness and another step lost of my baby-ness. I think I’ll go sit and sulk. Hehe.



Too cute for words right? I just love him.

Molars, Ack!

This is the face of a molar teething toddler refusing to go to sleep. Looks fun right? For the past few nights Rayce has woken up whining, which is odd for him considering he has pretty much slept through the night since 9 months old. But, after a little rolling around and some help from Mr. Tylenol he’s back asleep and forgets anything ever happened in the morning. Whew! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, teething is rough. These are his first molars so I will cut him a little slack this time. And, to top it all off he is cutting two molars at one time. Fun, fun!

In other new I’ve been working intensively with Rayce on expressing himself and using one word phrases to pin point what he wants. As a result his tantrums have decreased drastically. I couldn’t be more thrilled. He still has his days, which is to be expected but I’ll take any improvement I can get.

Also spending time away from the computer has helped as well. I feel like I have a better hand on things in general. I hope all is well with everyone.

Hugs,

Where has the blog gone?

While browsing the Internet today I read this article on 5 minutes for mom , I instantly thought wow that’s me. I have run into a blogging speed bump! It seems I have lost my passion for blogging. I use to enjoy it so, now it’s the furthest thing from my mind. Lately my mind has been cluttered with tantrums, climbing, and keeping Rayce entertained. The only time I have to blog is when Rayce goes to bed at night, by that time I’m too tired. Sigh. I apologize in advice but hopefully I can push thru the blogging drought and be back into the swing of things soon.

Where's Waldo Rayce?

Little stinker destroyed his room not 10 minutes after I finished cleaning it. I cleaned his room and proceeded to clean other parts of the house and I noticed it got strangely quite. So I went in to investigate and this is what I found. Notice, the table up side down, chairs thrown about, Mickey face down. What is a mom to do? Apparently nothing because I’m told this is typical boy fashion.

I recently read some encouraging words on babycenter.com about tantrums and toddler hood. The article read: your toddler may be easily overwhelmed by life's challenges and respond to them by dissolving into tears and screams. Don't ask him to stop — he probably can't. Instead be patient, available, and willing to offer him comfort or just your presence, whatever he seems to need at the moment. He'll get over it and be good as new if you just let him storm.

Ok great! I’m thinking that would work great a home but what about in public? Am I supposed to just let the storm pass while everyone stares? Because we all know people love to stare when your child is throwing a fit in the middle of a restaurant. I mean come on people as if it’s not bad enough, I don’t need an audience as well.

And he’s not even 2 yet!

Mother's Day

To all moms: I hope your day was filled with lots of love and fun memories. I can't wait to do it again next year! ;)

16 Months

Where, oh where, has my baby gone? I now have a full-fledged toddler living with me. Walking and running still top the agenda, but now more complex movements have become the norm. When he crosses a room, he'll squat to pick up an interesting toy. Soon I fear he’ll be ambitious enough to figure out how to push a chair over to the kitchen counter so he can climb up for a better look — all the more reason to make sure my house is as childproof as it can be. Rayce is changing and growing at such a fast pace some days I feel, I just can’t keep up. It’s pure craziness. Lord help me get through toddler hood, I need you like never before!

Wordless Wednesday

©My Spunky Monkey-A cereal mess!

Woody Woodpecker

My son is a woodpecker! That little sinker chewed up his crib. I guess teething got the best of him, he must have needed something to gnaw on pretty bad. It’s funny but it’s not, you know what I mean? Speaking of teething, Rayce still only has 8 teeth. It kind of looks like he has some coming through on the top but so far nada. Poor little guy, teething is rough. If it’s anything like wisdom teeth I feel his pain.

In other Rayce news: we’re trying to conquer tantrums. :/ I know it comes with his age and where he is right now developmentally but lord help me on some days. Rayce is one of those kids that you stare at, at the grocery store. He throws fits anywhere and everywhere. Yesterday we went to Lowes and he would not sit in the cart. Not only did he wanted to get out at walk around (which was fine) but he also wanted to push the cart on his knees. Imagine the looks I got from that one. Then after that blew over, he wanted to stand in the back part of the cart, not sit but stand! Oy! I tell you it has been a challenge but we will make it through, one way or another.

Little Climber

Keeping up with a spunky toddler is anything but boring. He challenges me everyday and always has something up his sleeve. His favorite thing to do is climb. He can now get on top of the couch, coffee table, and his chair, un-assisted. He loves to stand up on anything, I think it makes him feel big! I know what you’re thinking, omg Laura, that is dangerous. The good new is he knows how to get down safely and we haven’t had a fall yet. From an early age I taught Rayce how to get off of things backwards, you know, feet first. So now, whenever he tries to get off of something he turns around and plants his feet first. Works like a charm! I love my little guy. Isn’t he growing up quick? Too quick!

Wordless Wednesday

©My Spunky Monkey-I love my boys!

We're still on Top Momma

Just incase you were wondering, were stil there! A big thanks to everyone who clicked but the job isn't done yet! What are you waitng for? Get busy clicking here! The more clicks my blog gets the better. Thanks again!

More on Vaccines

While doing some more reading on vaccines I ran across this blog, the beautiful Raney family. I was immediately drawn in and moved to tears by little Noah’s story. His mom, Cassandra wrote:

"Noah has been diagnosed with PDD (Pervasive Development Disorder) with the possibility of falling on the Autism spectrum. By 18 months old he had acquired approximately 20 words, however, all at once he lost the ability to speak. For the last 9 months we have worked with Early Childhood Intervention with speech and occupational therapy. His speech is increasing slowly. I am keeping a running record of his vocabulary, although not all of them are articulated correctly he says them to the best of his ability."

She is almost positive that Noah’s PDD was triggered by vaccinations. Then she went on to share this article and once again I was moved to tears. The article read:

Written by Dr. Mercola:

"The U.S. government has now gone on the record saying that childhood vaccines can contribute to the symptoms of autism. They have then backtracked and stated that there is no association.

So which is it?

Well, by the time your child starts school he or she will have received more than 36 injections, including four doses each of vaccines for Hemophilus influenzae type b infections, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis -- all of them given during the first 12 months of life.

And by then it may be too late for the CDC to make up their mind about whether or not vaccines can be dangerous.

In 1976, children received 10 vaccines before attending school, and in the early 1980s, the incidence of autism was 1 in 10,000 births. Today it is 1 in 150 births and still climbing.

Is there a connection between autism and vaccines? I’d say so. And a pretty obvious one at that. If you are interested in the science behind this connection, Dr. Russell Blaylock has written an excellent paper that provides a connection between excessive vaccination and neurodevelopmental disorders like autism that is definitely worth reading.

The Blame Game (read on here)

I encourage you to read the entire article and to become more aware of the dangers of vaccinations. I am by no means saying you should not vaccinate your child I’m just saying do a little research first and decide what is best for your family. I wish I had done research prior to vaccinating Rayce. With your help we can help get the word out there about the dangers of vaccinations. One size does not fit all especially when you're talking about vaccines.

Who knew?

Rayce would still be entertained by his bouncer at 15 months old! I had it tucked away in the back bedroom and he discovered it and had a grand time in it. He loved it so much I had to take a few photos. He looked so big in it. I remember when he would drown in this thing. Ah the memories!

Saturday Social

What do you plan on doing with your tax rebate check (economic stimulus package)?

My husband and I decided to half ours so he could do what he wants with his half and I could do what I wanted with my half. I have no idea what he will do with his half but I sure do know what I'm doing with my half! I plan to do a few home improvements, pay a few things, and save the rest. I'm super excited to have this extra money...it's like Christmas in April!! It can't get any better then that right!

If you'd like to participate in Saturday Social click here for all the rules and details!

Today I'm tagging Sammi t Stop by her blog if you get a chance. She's a mother of five including 2 sets of twins. Amazing!

Top Momma Part Deux

Apparently I made the cut for Top Momma again only this time it wasn't I who submitted the entry. So let's give the a whirl, again! Would you be so gracious to VOTE for me?

Visit TopMomma.com look for this adorable monkey image
(you can't miss him)and click it over and over and over!! The more clicks I get the longer I stay up! So whatcha waiting for get to clicking! Hopefully, this time I can last longer then one day. Thanks in advance ladies!

Friday's Feast!

Appetizer

Name something you would categorize as weird. My in-laws lol!

Soup

What color was the last piece of food you ate? Yellow

Salad

On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy being alone? 10! I love being alone. I'm a total loner!

Main Course

Fill in the blank: I will ______ vote for ___________ in _______.

I have yet to decide on this one. :/

Dessert

Describe your sleeping habits. I sleep a lot! Only because I have trouble falling and staying asleep, causing me to feel not rested. Typically I go to sleep around midnight and wake at 8 am with Rayce. Then usually I require a afternoon nap, if I'm lucky!

15 month check-up

Before I got abruptly cut off from my internet I forgot to give an update on Rayce’s 15 month appointment. He weighed in at 24.6 pounds and is 32 inches long. He is still down 2 pounds from where he was prior to getting sick so that was a little disappointing. Also he is developmentally delayed in fine motor skills and in his speech. His pedi didn’t seem as concerned as I was. She just said we would have him evaluated and nothing would probably come out of it. WTH? I guess because he is doing some things on target but not others. That would be my guess. I’m not as concerned about his fine motor skills as I am his speech because he doesn’t really say anything, at all. For awhile there he was attempting to say hungry but now he can’t quite get that to come out. So in the meantime I decided to delay some of his vaccines. Rayce stays at home all day with me. He’s not in daycare around a bunch of other kids and so at this time I felt it was in his best interest to hold off on the controversial MMR. At least until we get to the bottom of what is going on with him developmentally. When we get things figured out we will re-evaluate. Until then I guess that makes me a non-vaccine mommy. Although you may not agree I feel like this is the best for my child at this time.

Away

I'm out of commission! For the time being at least. Hopefully I will be back soon. Hugs to all!

Saturday Social

What do you do to help the environment?

This is definitely an area our house needs some improvement. Currently we don’t do much to help the environment. I know, I know! As far as recycling or cutting down on trash we don’t do it. I need to find our local recycling place because we don't have curb side pick up here. I do try and conserve energy whenever possible. I do not use lights unless it’s necessary. We try to conserve water whenever possible. We don’t have grass so we save there. I only run the dishwasher, when it’s completely full, so we save there. This is a great question! It’s definitely something to think about.

To participate in Saturday Social click here !

Wordless Wednesday

©My Spunky Monkey-A walk in the park.

15 months

Rayce is 15 months old today! He's a curious little guy. He likes getting into anything and everything. His favorite thing to do these days is to tear the house upside down right after mommy got done cleaning for 2 hours. I find myself constantly picking up after him because if I don't by the end of the night it looks like a tornado just got done blowing through here.

We have also been working on talking. Rayce has started to show more and more interest in talking so lately we have been working on that. So far he attempts to say hungry and bless you. He thinks it's the funniest thing when people sneeze and just the other day I caught him trying to say bless you after Ray sneezed. Too funny! Who thought their child’s first words would have been hungry and bless you?

On Thursday we are going for Rayce's 15-month checkup so stay tuned for that. For now enjoy a small slide show of some pictures from this weekend.

Mommy is sicky poo!

So I caught whatever crud Rayce had. Please excuse my brief absence while I try to recover. Thanks for all the birthday wishes, I had a good birthday. Hope to be back soon.

It's My Birthday!

On this 3rd day of April, 1979 I was born in to this world. Weighing in at a whopping 6 pounds. Little did I know what a chaotic life lie ahead. We all have our stories, I’m sure some worse then others but I can truly say my story has made me who I am today. I have been through so much and have yet to conquer it all but for now, I am content. I look forward to what tomorrow may bring. Live, Laugh, Love, and always remember everything happens for a reason.

Here are some pictures of me when I was younger. I use to be so cute! I'm sure you're wondering what happened? LOL! Kidding! A big thanks to my mom and Jay for providing these photos.





Happy Birthday to Me! Gasp! I can’t believe I’m 29! *tear*